Evaluation of anterior segment parameters by specular microscopy and anterior optical coherence tomography in pseudophakic patients with previous retinal detachment surgery and intraoperative silicone oil placement

The aim of this study was to evaluate anterior segment changes in pseudophakic eyes that had undergone pars plana vitrectomy due to retinal detachment and received silicone oil tamponade during surgery. Comparative analysis was performed using specular microscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography, with fellow healthy eyes serving as controls. This retrospective case-control study included 50 pseudophakic patients who had undergone vitrectomy and silicone oil tamponade for retinal detachment. The operated eyes formed the study group, and the non-operated fellow eyes were used as controls. Anterior segment parameters such as endothelial cell count and central corneal thickness were assessed by specular microscopy, while limbal epithelial thickness and central retinal thickness were measured using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. The Mann Whitney U test was used for non-parametric statistical comparisons. Compared to healthy eyes, operated eyes showed statistically significant reductions in endothelial cell count, central corneal thickness, and limbal epithelial thickness (p=0.001, p=0.002, and p=0.000, respectively). There was no significant difference in central retinal thickness between groups (p=0.491). Clinical factors such as recurrence and macular edema did not significantly affect endothelial cell count or corneal parameters. However, a statistically significant increase in central retinal thickness was observed in patients with macular edema (p=0.000). Structural alterations in the anterior segment may occur following retinal detachment surgery, especially in association with silicone oil tamponade. These findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive anterior segment evaluation in postoperative follow-up and surgical planning in vitreoretinal. Keywords: detachment, silicone oil, corneal endothelial cell count, limbal stem cell