SUPRACHOROIDAL SPACE IN RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT ASSESSED WITH OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY: Implications for Potential Future Therapeutic Interventions.

PURPOSE: To comprehensively investigate the suprachoroidal space (SCS) in the context of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) using swept-source optical coherence tomography.

METHODS

We conducted a post hoc analysis of 90 consecutive patients with a primary RRD. Baseline swept-source optical coherence tomography scans were graded for the presence and thickness of SCS. Available scans of the fellow eye were graded for comparison.

RESULTS

Suprachoroidal space was visible in 31.6% (24/76) of gradable RRD scans, with a mean thickest location measuring 67.0 µ m (SD 25.9), mean thinnest location of 33.8 µ m (SD 11.1), and mean average thickness of 50.0 µ m (SD 16.8). In addition, the SCS was detectable in 28.3% (13/46) of available fellow eye scans, with a mean thickest location measuring 47.0 µ m (SD 41.7), thinnest location of 25.2 µ m (SD 27.6), and mean average thickness of 35.8 µ m (SD 31.4). A statistically significant difference was found between RRD and fellow eyes in all measurements of SCS thickness.

CONCLUSION

In RRD, the SCS serves as a crucial fluid reservoir influenced by dynamic shifts in intraocular hydrostatic and oncotic pressures. We found significant SCS engorgement in RRD eyes compared with fellow eyes, which may facilitate intra-SCS therapies such as suprachoroidal viscopexy or other pharmacologic interventions.