Surgical approaches to subretinal strands.

I successfully removed subretinal strands or membranes surgically in three patients with retinal detachments. Two approaches were used: (1) by cutting through the sclera with vitreous scissors (external approach), or (2) by cutting holes through the retina (internal approach). In two cases of retinal detachment, massive periretinal proliferation occurred, one of which was successfully managed with the external approach. In the other case, recurrence of massive periretinal proliferation caused the retina to detach again. In a third case a nonrhegmatogenous retinal detachment caused by a subretinal membrane was managed successfully with the internal approach.