The histopathology of successful retinal reattachment

Fifteen eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment that were successfully reattached with scleral buckling were studied histopathologically after enucleation or autopsy. Postoperative visual acuities ranged from 20/25 to 5/200. Epiretinal membranes were present in 9 of 15 eyes (60%) and cystoid macular edema was present in 4 of 15 (26%). Although the reattached retina was of normal morphology by light microscopy in 9 of 15 eyes, significant atrophy of outer retinal layers was noted in 4 of 15 eyes (26%). In 5 of 13 patients, reduced postoperative vision could be histopathologically correlated with macular edema or lack of retinal regeneration, but there was no compelling histopathologic explanation for reduced vision noted in 5 other cases.