Bilateral Posttraumatic Retinal Dialysis with a 10-Year Follow-Up: A Case Report and Literature Review

Retinal dialysis is a retinal break defined as disinsertion of the retina along the ora serrata, most commonly occurring in young patients after blunt ocular trauma. Diagnosis may be challenging, as retinal dialysis may initially remain asymptomatic, and its peripheral location often makes detection possible only with scleral indentation.

We present a rare case of bilateral retinal dialysis with secondary retinal detachment in a 32-year-old myopic male following occupational ocular contusion. One month after the injury, the patient developed bilateral temporal visual field defects. Fundus examination revealed nasal dialysis with retinal detachment in both eyes, with shallow macular involvement in the left eye. A staged scleral buckling procedure was performed in both eyes under general anesthesia, without subretinal fluid drainage, resulting in successful anatomical reattachment. Best-corrected visual acuity remained 20/20 in the right eye and improved from 20/80 to 20/40 in the left eye postoperatively, and reached 20/20 in both eyes at 1-year follow-up. Ten years after surgery, the retina remained attached bilaterally with preserved visual function and no additional vitreoretinal complications.

This case emphasizes the importance of careful peripheral retinal examination after ocular trauma, supporting scleral buckling as a safe and effective treatment option in young phakic patients with retinal dialysis, providing excellent long-term anatomical and functional outcomes.