10-year follow-up of visual functions in patients who underwent scleral buckling.

Abstract

To study long-term visual functions in eyes that underwent scleral buckling for treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. We retrospectively studied a nonconsecutive case series of 205 eyes with retinal detachment that underwent scleral buckling and were followed up for 10 years after surgery. Preoperatively, postoperatively, and 10 years after surgery, best-corrected visual acuities and visual fields were recorded. During the first postoperative year and during the next 9 years, there were significant increases in visual acuity (P<0.0001 and P<0.0001, respectively). Between the operation and 1 month postoperatively, there was a significant increase in the area size of visual field measured by Goldmann perimetry (V-4 isopter, P=0.0001; I-4 isopter, P=0.0001). Between 1 month and 10 years after surgery, there was no significant change of the area size of each isopter (V-4, P=0.786; I-4, P=0.211). Improvement in visual acuity after scleral buckling is possible over a long period. There may be a limit to long-term improvement of visual field after scleral buckling.