Giant retinal pigment epithelial tears in acute retinal necrosis

We observed large peripheral tears of the retinal pigment epithelium in two patients, a 59-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl, who had acute retinal necrosis. These tears ranged from 90 to 180 degrees of the circumference of the peripheral retinal pigment epithelium and occurred in areas of previous retinal viral infection. Both patients had curled folds of tissue at the posterior edge of the retinal pigment epithelial tear. During vitrectomy at the time of fluid-air exchange, we noted the edge of these tears to sag posteriorly. Because of the area that was denuded of retinal pigment epithelium by the tears, we selected a more posterior location for argon laser endophotocoagulation in both patients. These large retinal pigment epithelial tears did not appear to have an adverse effect on the outcome of surgical treatment of the retinal detachments.