Spontaneous release of retinal traction due to subretinal strands.

Spontaneous release of a taut, fibrotic subretinal strand was observed in a patient with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. This strand had been elevating the retina, and its release led to partial reattachment. Whereas spontaneous resolution of preretinal membrane contraction in retinal detachment has been reported, this is the first report of spontaneous release of such a subretinal fibrotic strand. The manner in which the strand released raised the question of whether efforts should be made to rupture such strands with transcleral pressure prior to considering retinotomy.