Macular changes after silicone oil or gas tamponade for uncomplicated retinal detachment using swept source OCT and OCT‐Angiography

Purpose To evaluate and compare the effect of silicone oil and gas tamponade on the macular area using swept source optical coherence tomography (SS‐OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT‐A). Methods In this retrospective study, we included patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy with silicone oil or gas tamponade for uncomplicated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). The thickness of retinal layers was measured automatically with the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid on SS‐OCT. Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) was analyzed in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and in the deep capillary plexus (DCP). The retinal vessel density (VD) was automatically assessed in the SCP. Results Eyes in the silicone oil group (n = 23) had a statistically significant decreased parafoveal retinal thickness compared to the gas group (n = 23) with a mean of 279.61 ± 31.15 µm vs 308.42 ± 32.06 µm, respectively (p = 0.003) and compared to the fellow eyes (p = 0.03). Eyes in the silicone oil group had a larger FAZ in the SCP and the DCP compared to the gas group (p = 0.021 and p = 0.002, respectively) and a larger FAZ only in the DCP compared to the fellow eyes (p