Spontaneous reattachment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

PURPOSE

To describe the clinical characteristics of spontaneous reattachment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (SRRRD).

DESIGN

Retrospective observational case series.

PARTICIPANTS

Fifteen patients who were diagnosed with SRRRD.

METHODS

The medical records of 15 patients were reviewed. Spontaneous reattachment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment was confirmed via serial observation in 4 of the eyes, and the remaining eyes represented patients in whom the condition was presumed to develop.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Clinical features and association.

RESULTS

This study involved 6 male patients and 9 female patients with a mean age of 48.0 years. The mean refractive errors in the involved and contralateral eyes were -5.0 and -5.3 diopters, respectively. All 15 eyes evidenced diffuse retinal pigmentary alterations within a sharply demarcated and convex margin. The lesions were located in the inferior retina in 10 of the 15 eyes, limited to 6 clock hours or fewer (66.7%). Although subretinal gliotic bands were detected within the lesion in 11 patients (73.3%), epiretinal proliferation was evident in only 2 patients (13.3%). Retinal changes associated with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were noted in the fellow eyes of 7 patients (46.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

Spontaneous reattachment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment should be included in differential diagnoses of patients with diffuse retinal pigmentary alterations within a sharply demarcated convex margin in unilateral eyes. Small retinal breaks observed in nonvitrectomized eyes may be associated with the occurrence of SRRRD.