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Eye color may be a factor in the success of retinal detachment repair
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NEW YORK — Eye color seems to be a prognostic factor in the outcome of retinal detachment surgery, according to a poster presentation here at the American Society of Retina Specialists’ annual meeting.
Mohammed Barazi, MD, and colleagues in the Retina Group of Washington (D.C.) retrospectively analyzed 160 eyes of 158 patients that underwent pars plana vitrectomy for retinal detachment.
After one procedure, 150 of the retinas were successfully reattached. Patients with unsuccessfully attached retinas were queried about their eye color; seven responded. Sixteen patients who were treated successfully were randomly chosen to serve as controls.
Of the 23 patients, 11 had brown eyes (48%), four had hazel eyes (17%) and eight had blue eyes. One patient with brown eyes was treated with cryotherapy and the rest with laser retinopexy.
Researchers found that there was no statistical difference in final visual outcome. However, they did find that “patients with blue irides had a statistically significant higher re-operation rate than those with brown or hazel eyes.”
The authors further noted that “a possible explanation for this difference could be weaker chorioretinal adhesion in these lightly pigmented eyes in response to laser photocoagulation. Minimal chorioretinal pigmentation and blue eye color may increase the risk for re-operation in vitrectomy surgery for recurring retinal detachment.”