The natural history of diabetic extramacular traction retinal detachment

There is a difference of opinion concerning the advisability of surgery for extramacular fraction retinal detachment (EMTRD) in diabetic patients before development of macular detachment. Ninety-nine eyes with EMTRD of 84 diabetic patients observed without surgery had a detachment rate of 13.8% in one year. This rate compares favorably with the reported 30% to 47% failure rate for diabetic eyes subjected to vitrectomy.