The difference in clinical characteristics between patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment during partial and complete lock-down periods related to COVID-19 pandemics 2-year long follow-up results

BMC Ophthalmol. 2024 Oct 21;24(1):462. doi: 10.1186/s12886-024-03731-z.

Abstract

Background: We aimed to compare results of clinical presentation of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), and the surgical approach during partial or complete lock-down periods (LP), and non-COVID periods in a tertiary ophthalmology clinic.

Methods: The medical data of the patients who were diagnosed with RRD in a tertiary hospital. The demographic data of patients, the duration from the beginning of the visual symptoms to hospital admission, the status of lens, the anatomical quadrant of retinal break, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at presentation, the type of intraocular tamponade, and final BCVA were recorded. The exclusion criteria were RD other than rhegmatogenous (tractional or exudative), and incomplete follow-up until 2nd-year.

Results: The study included 20 eyes of 20 RRD cases in partial LP, 20 eyes of 20 RRD cases in complete LP, and 23 eyes of 23 RRD cases in non-COVID period. The ratio of perfluoropropane (C3F8) gas to silicone oil which was applied as intraocular tamponade at the end of the surgery for RRD was 15/8 in non-COVID period, 11/9 in partial LP, and 11/9 in complete LP (p = 0.730). In final visit at postoperative 2nd-year, the BCVA was logMAR 0.613 ± 0.425 in non-COVID period, logMAR 0.668 ± 0.348 in partial LP, and logMAR 0.730 ± 0.368 in complete LP (p = 0.612). In both inferior and superior quadrant RD, there was significant difference between baseline and final BCVA after surgery. (Baseline and final BCVA in inferior RD: logMAR 1.71 ± 0.40, and logMAR 0.950 ± 0.30 (p = 0.011) and, in superior RD: logMAR 1.35 ± 0.59, and logMAR 0.505 ± 0.321 (p = 0.0001), respectively.) CONCLUSIONS: As a result, it seems that both partial and complete LP did not modify the typology of RRD surgeries.

Trial registration: Retrospectively registered. The study followed the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki, and it was approved by the local ethical committee (2023-088).

Keywords: Covid-19; Ophthalmological emergency; Perfluoropropane (C3F8) gas; Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment; Silicone oil.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Endotamponade
  • Female
  • Fluorocarbons / administration & dosage
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Quarantine
  • Retinal Detachment* / physiopathology
  • Retinal Detachment* / surgery
  • Retrospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Silicone Oils / administration & dosage
  • Visual Acuity* / physiology
  • Vitrectomy*

Substances

  • Fluorocarbons
  • Silicone Oils
  • perflutren