DISTORTION RESOLUTION AFTER VITRECTOMY FOR MACULA-INVOLVING RETINAL DETACHMENT REPAIR

This study demonstrates that subjective distortion and objective distortion are common after macula-involving retinal detachment, but can improve over time. Objective measures of distortion were more closely correlated with quality of life and retinal displacement in comparison with self-reported symptoms. Purpose: To investigate changes in subjective and objective distortion in the first 6 months after macula-involving retinal detachment repair. Methods: Post hoc analysis of the PostRD trial: a prospective, multicentered randomized controlled trial. Two hundred and sixty-two patients with macula-involving retinal detachments undergoing repair with vitrectomy and gas tamponade were asked to complete a distortion questionnaire and objective distortion assessment (D chart) 2 and 6 months postoperatively. Visual acuity, retinal displacement (measured with fundus autofluorescence imaging), and quality of life were also recorded. Results: Two months postoperatively 75.5% of patients reported subjective distortion, and this fell to 61.1% at 6 months. Over that period, distortion persisted in 56.5% of patients, resolved in 19.2%, and developed in 5.6%. Approximately one in four had resolution of their distortion by 6 months. The median overall and weighted D chart distortion scores fell between 2 and 6 months but 29% of patients had a worsening of D chart distortion score. D chart distortion scores were more closely correlated with amplitude of postoperative retinal displacement and quality-of-life scores in comparison with subjective distortion. Conclusion: Subjective distortion and objective distortion are common after macula-involving retinal detachment, but can improve over time. Objective measures of distortion were more closely correlated with quality of life and retinal displacement in comparison with subjective distortion.