Purpose: To investigate the chronological changes in the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) after vitrectomy in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment by means of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).
Subjects and methods: This study was a retrospective consecutive case series of 61 eyes in 61 cases that underwent primary pars plana vitrectomy using gas tamponade for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, who were able to achieve the initial recovery position, from November 2017 to February 2018. The changes in the FAZ area were examined by OCTA after surgery. The superficial FAZ (sFAZ) area and deep FAZ (dFAZ) area were evaluated in 3×3 mm OCTA images (centered on the fovea) at 1 and 3 months after vitrectomy.
Results: Of 61 eyes, there were 33 macula-off eyes and 28 macula-on eyes before surgery. In the macula-on group, sFAZ and dFAZ at 1 month were 0.36±0.12: 0.34 mm² (mean±standard deviation: median) and 0.66±0.12: 0.63 mm², and at 3 months were 0.36±0.14: 0.35 mm² and 0.65±0.24: 0.64 mm². The FAZ areas were not significantly changed (p=0.72 and 0.64, respectively). In the macula-off group, on the other hand, sFAZ and dFAZ at 1 month were 0.37±0.18: 0.39 mm² and 0.64±0.24: 0.65 mm², and at 3 months were 0.40±0.16: 0.43 mm² and 0.69±0.22: 0.69 mm². sFAZ and dFAZ at 3 months were significantly larger than those at 1 month (p< 0.005 and=0.045, respectively).
Conclusions: OCTA is a valuable noninvasive imaging tool. It can be used to evaluate changes in the FAZ area in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after vitrectomy, and macula detachment can affect blood vessels in the macula.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 126: 525-532,2022.