Phakic retinal detachment associated with cystic retinal tuft.

Of 200 consecutive cases with phakic nontraumatic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, 15 cases (7.5%) were causally related to cystic retinal tuft. The cystic retinal tuft was characterized by a small, elevated and chalky-white lesion with cystic features and pigment proliferations. The lesions were present in the equatorial region of the retina, and two types of retinal breaks were found, i.e., horseshoe- or crescent-shaped flap tears and round opercular tears. Flap tears were found more frequently, which were located at the juxtabasal zone of the equator and induced acute, highly elevated detachments. Opercular tears were located at the extrabasal zone of the equator and caused relatively slowly developing, shallow detachments. It was concluded that the cystic retinal tuft is an important vitreoretinal abnormality predisposing to rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.