Lamina Cribrosa Changes following Pars Plana Vitrectomy and Silicone Oil Injection for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: A contralateral Eye Study

Abstract

Purpose To assess changes in lamina cribrosa (LC) characteristics in eyes with silicone oil (SO) due to rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Method This cross-sectional contralateral eye study was conducted on 49 patients with unilateral RRD who underwent pars plana vitrectomy and SO injection. The contralateral eyes served as controls. Thickness and depth of LC of both eyes of the participants were evaluated using enhanced depth imaging technique via optical coherence tomography. Results The average age of the participants was 57.6 ± 10.5 years and the mean duration of post-op SO retainment was 1.7 ± 6.4 months. The mean LCD in eyes with SO tamponade was 347.6 ± 64.3 µm, whereas, in healthy eyes, it was 329.6 ± 76.7 µm (P = 0.232). On the other hand, the LC in eyes with SO tamponade was significantly thinner compared to that in healthy eyes (270.1 ± 45.1 µm and 303.2 ± 48.6 µm, respectively) (P < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis revealed that after excluding patients who were underwent anti-glaucoma medications, similar findings was resulted. Conclusion We showed that eyes with silicone oil exhibit a significantly thinner LC compared to healthy eyes, with no difference in the depth of the LC between the two groups.