Purpose: Simultaneous bilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachments are rare. The purpose of our study was to examine the incidence, predictive factors, surgical results and prognosis of these retinal detachments.
Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 468 consecutive patients, 7-89 years of age (mean, 45.7 years), undergoing surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment between 1993 and 2000.
Results: During this period, a total of 497 operations for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were done. Thirty-two patients had bilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Simultaneous detachments were observed in seven patients (1.5%). In four cases, the diagnosis of retinal detachment was fortuitous. In fact, most patients presented with unilateral symptoms. The mean age (35 years) of patients suffering from simultaneous bilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment was younger than that of patients with unilateral or consecutive bilateral retinal detachments. Five patients were myopic. Multiple round retinal holes were the most frequent lesions responsible for retinal detachment. A preoperative proliferative vitreoretinopathy was found in 57% of cases. The retina was reattached in nine cases (81%).
Conclusion: Simultaneous bilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment is usually found in relatively young myopic patients with atrophic retinal holes. They are rare but severe because of their frequent association with preoperative proliferative vitreoretinopathy.