Abstract
Purpose:
Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) complicating retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a rare condition . We report 5 patients with RP that developed RD and describe their clinical course.
Methods:
A retrospective review of the medical records of these 5 cases was performed. The diagnosis of RP in 4 of these cases was based on clinical and electrophysiological findings.
Results:
Four patients belong to the same Saudi family, the 4th generation of which consists of 25 siblings, 8 of whom developed RP and 4 of these 8 developed RRD.<br /> There were 4 males and 1 female and the age ranged from 2 to 37 year . The presenting visual acuities were light perception and in young children following object and fixate . 4 of patients had clinical signs and symptoms of RP including ERG evidence of generalized rod/cone dysfunction. Two cases had chronic RRD with very poor visual and anatomical prognosis that no surgical intervention was performed. The remaining 3 cases underwent surgical repair with PPV, scleral buckle and silicone oil; PPV and silicone oil; and scleral buckle alone respectively. The postoperative follow up was 24 months. At last follow up two of these 3 cases maintained a flat retina however the visual acuity remained poor at hand motion in one and inability to fix and follow in the other. The third case redetached 2 years after PPV and silicone oil and no further surgery was performed due to very poor prognosis.
Conclusions:
RRD in RP is a challenging condition with a poor visual outcome despite successful surgery primarily due to the underlying RP and the late presentation.