The fishmouth phenomenon in retinal detachment: old concepts revisited.

The 'fishmouth phenomenon' seen in some previously treated retinal detachments is associated with large horeshoe tears and scleral buckling techniques. A method of treating patients with this complication is described in which scleral buckling with implant or explant is not used. The technique utilises intravitreal air tamponade with cryopexy and gives good results. The incidence of patients developing the fishmouth phenomenon as a complication of parimary simple retinal detachment surgery is much lower when an intravitreal air technique is used than the expected incidence following a primary scleral buckling operation.