Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments in blacks

Primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment is probably much less common in blacks than whites. We reviewed 100 consecutive black patients with retinal detachment who were seen over a 3 year period, and compared them to a randomly selected group of 100 whites seen during the same period. Trauma was the most common cause of detachment in blacks (52%), but was a relatively uncommon cause in whites (12%). Posterior vitreous detachment was the most frequent etiology of detachment in whites (47%), but was rare in blacks (15%). Aphakia was the second most common etiology in whites (30%), while it was relatively uncommon in blacks (13%). Myopia and/or lattice was a more frequent associated finding in blacks with detachment (19%), than in whites (9%). These findings are discussed and the literature reviewed.