Axial length analysis in patients with retinal detachment in New Zealand

Purpose: The aim of the study is to analyse the axial length (AL) in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in Dunedin Public Hospital (New Zealand). Method: Retrospective analysis was performed on the records of 105 patients who underwent retinal surgery with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in Dunedin Public Hospital between 1 January 2020 and 1 January 2022. AL was collected with a Zeiss IOL Master500. Data was compared to matched control groups: Dunedin patients requiring cataract surgery, a previous study of healthy individuals from Dunedin (Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health & Development Study) and an Auckland control group comprising of two publications of patients in Auckland undergoing cataract surgery. Results: Total data of 108 eyes of 105 patients, of which 42 were female and 63 were male, with an average age of 63.25 ± 16.40 years (mean ± SD), was included in this study. The mean AL of the patients was 24.30 ± 0.33mm compared to the control group of 23.48 ± 0.06mm. The difference in AL between RRD patients and the Auckland control group was 0.82 ± 0.23mm, p < 0.0001. The difference in AL between the RRD and the Dunedin Cataract surgery group was 0.75 ± 0.29, p < 0.0001. The difference between male and female mean AL was 0.75 ± 0.67mm, p < 0.0285. Conclusion: Patients with RRD have been shown to have a greater AL when compared to those without, with a difference of 0.82 ± 0.23mm representing approximately 2.2 diopters. Men have a greater mean AL when compared to women, with a difference of 0.75 ± 0.67mm, p < 0.0285 representing approximately 2.0 diopters.