Prevalence of Fovea Plana in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Purpose: To assess the prevalence of fovea plana in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and compare characteristics of the detachment between patients with and without fovea plana.

Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional, case-control study included individuals with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. We collected demographics and data on the operated eye, spherical equivalent, best-corrected visual acuity, lens status, macula status, number of retinal holes or tears, and presence of intravitreal hemorrhage, macular hole, epiretinal membrane, posterior vitreous detachment and proliferative vitreoretinopathy. The type of surgery, the tamponade, and cataract surgery following retinal surgery were also recorded. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography macular cubes were used to evaluate the fovea by using the Spectralis HRA-OCT device (Heidelberg Engineering, Germany). Images were graded by two different investigators and a third investigator in case of disagreement.

Results: We included 204 individuals; 35 (17.2%) had fovea plana, a proportion significantly higher than in the general population (p = 0.041). Individuals with and without fovea plana did not differ in any of the characteristics mentioned above apart from posterior vitreous detachment, which was more frequent in those with than without fovea plana (p = 0.038).

Conclusion: The prevalence of fovea plana is higher in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, which suggests an association between fovea plana and potential vitreoretinal interface changes.