Surgical Outcomes of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment and Fellow Eye Involvement in Adolescent and Young Adult Patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the associations, fellow eye retinal tear or detachment, and surgical outcomes of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs) in young adults.

DESIGN

Retrospective consecutive case series.

SUBJECTS: Patients aged ≤ 30 years who underwent surgical repair for RRD between 2014 and 2021 at a single practice. The mean age was 23.85 years (range, 12-30 years).

METHODS

Data collected included demographics, preoperative clinical features of the RRD, visual acuity (VA), type of surgery performed, anatomic outcomes, OCT findings, fellow eye retinal tear or detachment, and postoperative complications.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative VA and single-surgery anatomic success rate.

RESULTS

One hundred one patients (109 eyes) were included. Sixty-seven patients (74 eyes) and 17 patients (19 eyes) were followed for ≥ 1 year and 5 years, respectively. The most common associations were myopia (66 eyes, 60.6%), trauma (8 eyes, 7.3%), and prior ocular surgery (7 eyes, 6.4%). Median preoperative Snellen VA was 20/70. The macula was attached in 31 eyes. Scleral buckle (SB) alone was performed in 75 eyes, pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) + SB was performed in 27 eyes, PPV alone was performed in 6 eyes, and cryotherapy with pneumatic retinopexy was performed in 1 patient. Single-surgery anatomical success was 88.7% for SB, 89.7% for PPV + SB, and 75% for PPV. The median final postoperative Snellen VA was 20/50. Twelve patients presented with bilateral RRDs, and sequential surgery was performed in 8 patients, followed by 4 patients who underwent surgery with fellow eye laser barricade. Fourteen patients (13.9%) developed a retinal tear or detachment in the fellow eye, with a mean interval of 8 months from presentation. Of the 17 patients who were followed for ≥ 5 years, 3 patients (17.6%) developed a fellow eye retinal tear or detachment. After initial anatomical success, 6 eyes (5.5%) developed proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

CONCLUSIONS

The most common association of RRD in this study was myopia. Scleral buckle alone was the most common surgical intervention. However, outcomes were generally favorable with SB-only and PPV + SB. Surgeons and patients should be aware of the risk of bilateral retinal detachment and the risk of fellow eye retinal tear and detachment. These patients require long-term surveillance in both eyes.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.