LATE RECURRENCES AFTER SUCCESSFUL SURGERY FOR RETINAL-DETACHMENT WITHMACULAR HOLE

Six myopic eyes affected by retinal detachment with macular hole which had been successfully reattached developed recurrent retinal detachme nt 7-78 months postoperatively. The mean interval between surgery and the recurrent retinal detachment was 13.4 months in five eyes managed with gas tamponade and no choroidal irritation. In an eye managed by s cleral buckling with choroidal irritation, the recurrent retinal detac hment occurred 78 months postoperatively. The retina was reattached fo llowing reoperation in all eyes. However, an eye successfully reattach ed without choroidal irritation developed four recurrences during the follow-up period. The pathogenesis of late recurrences after successfu l surgery for retinal detachment with macular hole remains speculative . A number of clinical findings suggest that vitreous traction plays a decisive role.