Post-operative outcome in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Anatomic and visual results of retinal detachment surgery were analyzed in 352 consecutive eyes operated on for rhegmatogenous type of retinal detachment in 1978-1981 at the University Eye Hospital in Helsinki. From 1978-79 to 1980-81, both the re-attachment rate and the visual results improved significantly (P less than 0.05). In the latter period, the retina was re-attached in 87% and partially re-attached in 2%. In the same period, a good visual acuity (VA greater than or equal to 0.5) was achieved in 39%, reasonable (VA 0.4-0.15) in 28%, and an ambulatory vision (VA 0.1-CF2m) in 16%, whereas 18% of the eyes became blind (VA CF1m or worse). A favourable outcome was related to good pre-operative visual acuity, short duration and limited extent of detachment as well as sparing of the macula. Among factors which predicted an unfavourable outcome were aphakia, failure to detect retinal breaks, signs of proliferative vitreoretinopathy, multiple operations and old age. Poor outcome was more common after encircling as compared with localized procedures, but the success rate of the various types of operations was not comparable because encircling procedures were selected for more severe cases.