Factors influencing absorption of subretinal fluid.

In 200 cases of retinal detachment successfully treated without drainage of subretinal fluid, complete reattachment of the retina was achieved in the first post-operative week in 76% of cases. Delay in subretinal fluid absorption in the remaining 24% of cases was directly related to the duration of the retinal detachment, but was not influenced by the patients age, refractive error or the characteristics of the detachment.