Objective 　To measure the changes of eye shape and axial length of the eyeball before and after removing the scleral encircling buckles.Methods 　This is a prospective and controlled study. Twenty eyes (20 patients) with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and the fellow eyes were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent scleral encircling buckling, and the buckles were removed 2.0-3.5 years after the surgery. The eye shape and axial length of both eyes were measured by three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) before and one,three,six months after the removing surgery. The axial length was also measured by intraocular lens (IOL) Master.Results 　3D-CT showed that buckled eyeball depressed at the equator, resulting in a gourd-shaped eyeball. One month after removing the encircling buckle the depression disappeared. By 3D-CT scanning, the axial lengths of buckled eyes were (27.65 plusmn;1.22), (27.3 plusmn;1.56), (27.29 plusmn;1.46) and (27.12 plusmn;1.49) mm before and one, three, six months after the removing surgery respectively. The difference between before and after removing surgery was not statistically significant (t=2.89,P=0.723). By IOLMaster, the axial length of operated eyes were (28.32 plusmn;1.94), (28.17 plusmn;1.87), (28.21 plusmn;1.94), (28.25 plusmn;1.93） mm respectively. The difference between before and after removing the encircling band was not statistically significant (t=3.304, P=0.93). There was no significant difference in these two measuring modes (t=3.705,P=0.847).Conclusions 　Encircling buckling can cause eyeball indentation, removing the encircling band can rescue the indentation. There are no changes in the axial length before and after removing the encircling buckles.

Citation： 应海燕,王方,解学乾. Three-dimensional computed tomography reconstruction of the eyes before and after removing the scleral encircling buckles. Chinese Journal of Ocular Fundus Diseases, 2010, 26(6): 536-539. doi: Copy