The Effect of Subretinal Fluid on Macular Microstructure and Visual Acuity After Surgery for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

Objective To investigate the effect of persistent subretinal fluid (SRF) on macular microstructure and visual acuity after surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).Methods RRD patients diagnosed between January 2020 and March 2023 who underwent successful scleral buckling (SB) surgery with SRF present 3 months post-operation were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into short-term absorption (Group A, n = 40) and delayed absorption groups (Group B, n = 50). Data on best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and vascular densities were collected at various time points.Results BCVA and SFCT showed a downward trend over time, with Group A exhibiting higher values than Group B at multiple time points (P < 0.05). RNFL also decreased over time, but Group A consistently had higher measurements. The choriocapillary plexus vessel density (CCP-VD) decreased in Group B while showing fluctuations in Group A, with higher values in Group A at 3 and 6 months post-absorption (P < 0.001).Conclusion After SB surgery, foveal RNFL increased while SFCT decreased, with the short-term absorption group displaying more significant improvements. Additionally, vessel densities decreased over time, and the delayed absorption group showed more substantial decreases in CCP-VD.