Prognostic factors after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair: An overview of the clinical and imaging insights

: Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) is a major cause of vision loss requiring prompt surgical intervention. Recent advances in multimodal retinal imaging, especially macular and peripheral optical coherence tomography (OCT), have significantly improved our understanding of the various factors and biomarkers influencing the clinical outcomes after RRD repair. Several visual disturbances, such as metamorphopsia and aniseikonia, typically persist despite successful reattachment, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. Factors influencing recovery include the timing of surgery, the extent of retinal displacement, and structural integrity of retinal layers. Additionally, recent research is increasingly highlighting the relevant role of numerous OCT biomarkers, including hyperreflective dots, ellipsoid zone, external limiting membrane and outer retinal disruption, and bacillary layer detachment in prognosis. We provide an overview on the above-mentioned factors implied in RRD-related postsurgical prognosis in order to optimize clinical practice.