Screening for retinal detachment

There is a reasonable basis for examination of patients with acute symptoms of posterior vitreous detachment, and this is current practice for patients who present with such symptoms. Significant morbidity is associated with detachment of the macula before treatment of retinal detachment, and in most cases, this occurs before presentation. There may be benefit in public information campaigns in an attempt to encourage patients to present earlier. A small reduction in the proportion of patients who present for surgery with a detached macula would produce a significant decrease in visual morbidity. With the current state of evidence, however, there is no justification for the general screening of patients for retinal detachment, or for predisposing lesions.