Evolving Trends for the Clinical Presentation of Primary Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachments From Early to Late Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact on trends in clinical presentation of acute, primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRD) from early to late phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This study was a single-center, consecutive case series of 1,727 patients treated after vaccine availability ("late"; 3/29/21 to 9/26/21), corresponding time frame in previous year of pandemic ("early"; 3/30/20 to 9/27/20), and prior to pandemic ("pre"; 4/1/19 to 9/29/19). Primary outcome was proportion of patients presenting with macula-off RRD. Secondary outcomes included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and primary proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).

RESULTS

While macula-off RRD rates were significantly ( < 0.0001) elevated in early and late cohorts compared to the pre cohort, only the early cohort showed a significant ( < 0.0001) increase in both primary PVR presentation and complex RRD repair. Patients lost to follow-up in early cohort were significantly ( < 0.0001) higher than others. Early cohort showed significantly ( < 0.0001) worse final BCVA compared to others.

CONCLUSION

Patients in late pandemic were less likely to exhibit clinical features of worse RRD disease and have improved visual outcomes compared to those in early pandemic. .