The natural history of untreated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

In this study, the late secondary changes of the eye in long-standing, untreated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) were examined. The most common complications were cataract (61.1%), strabismus (45.5%), toxic uveitis (27.3%) and development of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (100.0%). Complete loss of vision was found in all cases. Maximal visual acuity was hand motion, but only in 9.1% of cases. In the late follow-up period of untreated RRD, anatomic changes of the eye, permanent loss of vision and esthetic defects will appear.