Outcomes in Retinal Detachment Repair and Laser Prophylaxis for Syndromes with Optically Empty Vitreous

Purpose: To evaluate and compare surgical outcomes for syndromes with optically empty vitreous (SOEV)-associated rhegmatogenous retinal detachments. Design: A retrospective, cross-sectional, 2-arm study of a single pediatric vitreoretinal surgeon's patients from a quaternary referral center with SOEV was performed to examine visual and anatomical outcomes of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and laser prophylaxis. Subjects: Patients identified either through slit-lamp examination (presence of an optically empty or void space in the vitreous gel structure) or genetic testing. Fifty-six eyes of 49 patients were identified in the retinal detachment arm. Sixty eyes of 48 patients were identified in the laser prophylaxis arm. Methods: Comparison of initial retinal detachment (RD) surgical repair via pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), scleral buckle (SB), or PPV-SB with final anatomical success, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and number of surgical procedures. Secondary analysis was performed looking at eyes failing their initial SB, eyes with a giant retinal tear at presentation, eyes failing RD repair within specific time intervals, and eyes where hyaloid was elevated during initial vitrectomy. An additional study arm examined the outcomes of final BCVA and the presence and timing of developing a retinal tear or RD in eyes who received laser prophylaxis. Main Outcome Measures: Visual acuity, surgical repair techniques (PPV, SB, PPV-SB), number of surgeries, anatomical retinal reattachment success. Results: Initial SB had statistically significant better final BCVA (P < 0.01) and better final anatomical success (P < 0.01). No statistical difference in the number of surgeries needed to achieve anatomical success between the initial SB versus initial PPV-SB/PPV. Hyaloidal elevation during the initial vitrectomy was associated with improved final BCVA and higher final anatomical success without the use of silicone oil (P < 0.01 and 0.04 respectively). Lastly, eyes that developed RDs after laser prophylaxis had better final BCVA than untreated eyes (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Initial SB yields better overall outcomes in SOEV presenting with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Stickler Type-1 patients had similar outcomes compared with other SOEV, suggesting both populations should be treated with similar approaches. Financial Disclosure(s): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.