Surgical management of retinal detachment associated with the acute retinal necrosis syndrome

We operated on nine eyes in eight patients with retinal detachment associated with acute retinal necrosis (ARN) syndrome. The patients were treated with scleral buckling, vitreoretinal surgery, or a combination of these treatments. Vitrectomised eyes underwent combinations of lensectomy, membrane dissection, scleral buckling, air-fluid exchange, endolaser photocoagulation, cryotherapy, and retinal tamponade with C3F8 gas or SF6 gas. Macular attachment was achieved in eight (89%) eyes. Vision improved in seven (78%) eyes, of which five (56%) achieved 20/200 or better vision. Three eyes that had received laser treatment posterior to areas of retinitis suffered retinal detachment despite this prophylactic treatment. Poor visual outcome resulted from viral infection of the optic nerve or macular involvement, macular hole formation, macular pucker, or hypotony.