Change in choroidal blood flow and choroidal morphology due to segmental scleral buckling in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Although scleral buckling is a well-established surgical treatment for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), the procedure can reportedly cause problems in the ocular circulation. Segmental scleral bucking without a concomitant encircling procedure was performed on 46 eyes with successfully reattached macula-on RRD. Choroidal blood flow was assessed using laser speckle flowgraphy. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was used to image macular regions, to measure the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and to calculate the luminal and the stromal areas by the binarization method preoperatively and 1, 4, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Choroidal mean blur rate at the macula did not significantly change, while that at the buckle and unbuckle side significantly reduced at 8 weeks postoperatively in the operated eye (P = 0.007 and P = 0.017, respectively). The SFCT and the luminal area increased temporarily 1 week following surgery in the operated eye (P