Scleral buckling-induced ocular parameter changes in different age group patients of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

PURPOSE This study was aimed to evaluate the difference in the ocular parameter changes following scleral buckling (SB) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in different age group patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective study included 26 eyes of 26 patients who underwent SB for uncomplicated RRD. The patients were divided into three age groups: 16-30 years (Group I), 31-45 years (Group II), and 46-60 years (Group III). Axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and corneal curvatures were measured preoperatively and postoperatively at 1 week, 1 month, and 3-month. The postoperative change and progression of these parameters were evaluated and compared between three age groups using nonparametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS At 3-month follow-up, a statistically significant postoperative AL increase, ACD decrease, and surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) were observed in all groups (Group I - 0.75 ± 0.32 mm, 0.21 ± 0.21 mm, and 1.5 ± 0.48 D, respectively; Group II - 0.79 ± 0.41 mm, 0.14 ± 0.04 mm, and 2.07 ± 1.18 D, respectively; Group III - 0.86 ± 0.33 mm, 0.16 ± 0.05 mm, and 1.56 ± 1.19 D, respectively). However, surgery-induced change for any parameter was not significantly different between the groups (P for AL [0.7955]; ACD [0.8805]; and SIA [0.5485]). Progression in postoperative changes in AL and ACD was insignificant during three follow-up examinations in all the groups. However, SIA of Group I continued to change significantly up to 3 months but stopped to change at 1 month only in Group II and III. CONCLUSION Age-related change in physical properties of ocular tissue does not have any major additional effect on the results of SB except that the postsurgical change in corneal curvature stops earlier in older patients compared to that in younger patients.