Recovery of differential light sensitivity following surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Sixteen patients with phakic, nontraumatic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were used in a prospective study on the change of the visual field following surgical treatment of the disease. The differential light threshold was measured across the visual field before and after surgery up to 1 year by means of the Octopus automated static perimeter. The visual sensitivity recovered prominently in the initial one to two months, followed by a slight improvement for up to a year. The final prognosis of visual sensitivity was correlated with the duration of detachment, but not with its extent or height. The recovery in the peripheral visual field was less remarkable, with residual slight defect. There was more improvement in visual sensitivity at the fovea than in visual acuity.