Rate of Postoperative Autofluorescent Macular Shift with Expanding Gas Bubble Tamponade and No Prone Posture Ambulatory Care in Patients with Macula-Involved Retinal Detachment

Purpose: Chronically distorted vision is an important adverse outcome in patients with otherwise successfully treated macula-involved retinal detachment (RD). Symptomatic distortion is associated with macular vessel shift on fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging. Immediate prone posture has to date been the only mechanism adopted to reduce postoperative FAF shift. The aim of this study was to establish the rates of primary anatomical success and (FAF) macular shift in 67 eyes with macula-involved RD and superior breaks treated with vitrectomy, retinopexy, 0.7–1 mL 100% gas tamponade, and no prone posture. Methods: Single-center, retrospective series. Results: Rates of primary anatomical success and fundus autofluorescent imaging macular shift were 89 and 26%, respectively. Conclusion: Vitrectomy with a 0.7–1 mL expanding gas bubble tamponade and no prone posture were associated with an acceptable rate of primary anatomical success. We found the lowest yet reported rate of FAF shift in patients with macula-involved RD. If confirmed, this simple technique modification could improve the visual outcome of RD surgery whilst facilitating postoperative ambulatory care.