Thinning and small holes at an impending tear of a retinal pigment epithelial detachment
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 4, 2026

Efficient and Consistent Generation of Retinal Pigment Epithelium/Choroid Flatmounts from Human Eyes for Histological Analysis
Published on: October 28, 2022
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. shiraki@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
Background:
A tear of a retinal pigment epithelial detachment (PED) suddenly exposes a large area of bare Bruch's membrane. We report here the case of a patient whom we observed during the gradual, spontaneous development of a PED tear.
Method:
A 5.25-year case study of a 67-year-old woman with bilateral serous PEDs.
Results:
Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) thinning or small holes were seen along the PED margin in both eyes. Fluorescein angiograms showed intense hyperfluorescence without leakage, and indocyanine green angiography showed choroidal vessels through regions of RPE thinning or small holes. Optical coherence tomographs showed an interruption of a hyperreflective band corresponding to retinal pigment epithelium. A typical tear of the PED ensued later.
Conclusion:
Multiple, small regions of RPE thinning or holes along the margin of PED can be a sign of an impending PED tear.
Related Concept Videos
Diabetic Retinopathy
Anatomy of the Eyeball

