Simultaneous, bilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

To examine the incidence, the preoperative findings and the surgical outcome of patients presenting with simultaneous, bilateral retinal detachment.

A retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients undergoing surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment between 1990 and 1998.

During this period a total of 827 operations for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were done in 791 consecutive patients. Eighteen patients (2.3%) had simultaneous, bilateral retinal detachment, giving an annual incidence of 0.35 patients per 100,000 population. They all presented with unilateral symptoms. Compared with the group of unilateral or consecutive, bilateral retinal detachments, patients suffering from simultaneous, bilateral retinal detachments were significantly younger, with a mean age of 40.3 years. Thirteen patients had multiple, round retinal holes associated with lattice degeneration. Sixteen patients were myopic, ranging from -3 to -9.25 diopters. The retina was reattached in 35 (97%) of the 36 eyes operated on during the study period.

Simultaneous, bilateral retinal detachment is usually found in relatively young, myopic patients with round, atrophic retinal holes, presenting with unilateral visual symptoms.