Outcomes of air versus sulfur hexafluoride tamponade in primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in phakic eyes

Purpose To evaluate the outcomes of using air versus sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas tamponade in management of primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Study design Retrospective case-series comparative study. Patients and methods We collected data from 120 patients in three tertiary university hospitals, that were diagnosed as primary RRD due to upper retinal break in the period from January 2021 to November 2022 and had undergone 23-G lens-sparing pars-plana vitrectomy with either air tamponade (Air group) or SF6 gas tamponade (SF6 group) and were followed up for 6 months. We analyzed the final visual outcomes between both groups. Results The mean age of the studied patients was 51±13 years (Air group=60 eyes, SF6 group=60 eyes). The mean axial length in Air group was 26.59±1.84 mm, the mean axial length was 26.46±1.49 mm in SF6 group. Best-corrected visual acuity was improved in both groups at the sixth month. In Air group 18.33% had recurrent RRD, while 10% in SF6 group. No significant difference regarding metamorphopsia was reported. Higher rate for cataract progression was noted among SF6 group. Conclusions Both Air and SF6 gas showed favorable results regarding the final visual outcome. Air is a less expensive tamponade with less timing for postoperative-prone positioning. Cataract progression was higher among SF6 group, however, the incidence of recurrent RRD was lower among SF6 group. Missed break was the primary cause for failed retinal reattachment.