Incidence and Outcomes of Retinal Detachment After Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Symptomatic Floaters

PURPOSE: To report the incidence, clinical characteristics, and visual and anatomical outcomes of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) following pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for symptomatic vitreous floaters. METHODS: This retrospective, consecutive case series evaluated 256 eyes of 205 patients who underwent PPV for symptomatic floaters with a minimum 6-month follow-up. Main outcomes included RRD incidence, single surgery anatomical success, final reattachment rates, and visual acuity (VA) changes. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up of 31.8 months, 14 of 256 eyes (5.5%) developed an RRD at a median of 19 days postoperatively. At presentation, 78.6% of detachments were macula-on. Final anatomical success was achieved in 100% of eyes with all successfully maintaining reattachment without the need for long-term silicone oil. Among eyes that developed RRD, median logMAR visual acuity changed from 0.00 (20/20) preoperatively to 0.18 (20/30) at the final visit, though this did not reach statistical significance (P=0.084). Ultimately, 3 of the 14 RRD eyes (21.4%), representing 1.2% of the total surgical cohort, lost 3 or more lines of vision compared to baseline. CONCLUSION: PPV for symptomatic floaters is associated with a small risk of postoperative RRD. All eyes were successfully reattached with 1.2% experiencing a loss of 3 or more lines of vision.