Pediatric rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: clinical features and surgical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the characteristics of and surgical outcomes for primary pediatric rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and to evaluate whether specific characteristics impact anatomical outcomes after surgical intervention.

METHODS

Data for consecutive patients (18 years of age or younger) with RRD who required surgery over a 5-year period were studied retrospectively. Patients with recurrent retinal detachment or active retinopathy of prematurity were excluded.

RESULTS

Forty-six eyes of 45 patients (median age, 9 years) were included. Ninety-eight percent of the patients had at least 1 predisposing factor, including prior surgery (61%), trauma (43%), developmental abnormality (35%), and myopia (17%). Retinal reattachment was attained in 78% of eyes. Younger age (P = 0.019), worse initial vision (P = 0.008), greater extent of retinal detachment (P = 0.007), and presence of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (grade C or worse) (P = 0.008) were associated with worse anatomical outcomes. Vision improved after surgery in 56% of patients, but overall visual results were modest. Thirty-seven percent of patients had vision-threatening lesions in the other eye, and 18% had a history of retinal detachment in the fellow eye.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric RRD is often associated with a predisposing factor. Favorable anatomical and visual outcomes are possible, and lesions in the fellow eye are common.