Experimental studies on the disappearance of subretinal fluid after episcleral buckling procedures without drainage.

We have developed an experimental model to show that an additional mechanism apart from absorption by pigment epithelium is responsible for the absorption of subretinal fluid. The cause of a fast diminution of subretinal fluid after a buckling procedure is the prominence of the buckle as an obstacle to fluid movements in the eye. This results in any fluid being pushed through the retinal hole into the vitreous. When the retinal hole is closed by the buckle, the remaining part of the subretinal fluid is slowly absorbed by the pigment epithelium present. We performed a preliminary qualitative and quantitative analysis of the phenomena occurring using the finite element method of Zienkiewicz.