Lysosomal hyaluronidase in the subretinal fluid of patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachments.

A biochemical analysis of 66 samples of subretinal fluid from patients with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment showed that 46 contained hyaluronic acid. Seventeen samples that did not contain hyaluronic acid disclosed hyaluronidase activity. Hyaluronidase activity in the subretinal fluid increased with the duration of the detachment but there was no correlation between enzyme activity and the age of the patient or the extent of the retinal detachment.