Relationship between retinal microstructures and visual acuity after cataract surgery in patients with retinitis pigmentosa

Abstract

Aims: To study the relationship between the retinal microstructures and the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after cataract surgery in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

Methods: 58 eyes of 43 consecutive RP patients who underwent cataract surgery were studied. The BCVA was measured before and 3 months after the surgery. The appearance of the inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) line of the photoreceptors in the optical coherence tomographic (OCT) images at the fovea was graded; Grade 1, IS/OS line not visible; Grade 2, IS/OS line abnormal or discontinuous; and Grade 3, IS/OS line normal. The central foveal thickness (CFT) and the length of the IS/OS line were measured in the spectral-domain OCT images.

Results: The postoperative BCVAs in logMAR units (Grade 1, 1.04±0.36; Grade 2, 0.33±0.16; Grade 3, 0.08±0.14) and the improvements in the BCVA in logMAR units (Grade 1, 0.22±0.28; Grade 2, 0.53±0.48; Grade 3, 0.54±0.35) were significantly different among Grade 1, 2 and 3 groups (p<0.0001, p=0.0378; respectively). A postoperative BCVA of <0.2 logMAR units was achieved in 0% in Grade 1, 20% in Grade 2 and 74% in Grade 3 (p<0.0001). There was a significant correlation between the postoperative BCVA and the length of the IS/OS line (r=-0.601 p<0.0001) or the CFT (r=-0.510, p<0.0001).

Conclusions: The presence of normal IS/OS line in the OCT images is associated with good visual recovery after cataract surgery in RP patients. The integrity of the IS/OS line may be important for predicting good postoperative BCVA.

Keywords: Dystrophy; Imaging; Retina; Treatment Surgery; Vision.