Tearing of retinal pigment epithelium after glaucoma surgery.

Tearing of the retinal pigment epithelium following trabeculectomy for chronic open-angle glaucoma in two patients is reported. In one patient, the tear was diagnosed on the 4th postoperative day. It started a few disc diameters above the temporal vascular arcade, crossed the temporal part of the macula and extended to the equator in the lower temporal periphery. At the acute stage, hypotonia and exudative retinal detachment were found. In the other patient, the tear was equatorial extending from the upper nasal to the lower nasal quadrant. At the acute stage, hypotonia and choroidal detachment, but no exudative retinal detachment, were present. After 1 year, the retina was flat in both eyes and no further complications were noted.