Evidence that hypotony in retinal detachment is due to subretinal juxtapapillary fluid drainage.

One case of aphakic retinal detachment with increased intraocular pressure is described. Overnight the intraocular pressure fell abruptly to non-measurable values, and simultaneously the detachment had advanced to the optic disc border. The hypothesis is formulated that decreased intraocular pressure in eyes with retinal detachment is brought about because intraocular fluid is leaking out of the eye through a subretinal route to the perioptic connective tissue. Additional support for this posterior aqueous outflow is obtained from clinical studies showing that maximum hypotony is reached when the detachment has advanced to the optic disc border.