2020–2021 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™
12 Retina and Vitreous
Part II: Disorders of the Retina and Vitreous
Chapter 16: Retinal Detachment and Predisposing Lesions
Prophylactic Treatment of Retinal Breaks
Asymptomatic Retinal Breaks
Asymptomatic flap tears progress to retinal detachment in approximately 5% of cases. Because of this low risk, treatment is not universally recommended in emmetropic, phakic eyes. However, asymptomatic flap tears accompanied by lattice degeneration, myopia, subclinical detachment, aphakia, pseudophakia, or a history of retinal detachment in the fellow eye have an increased risk of retinal detachment, and treatment may be considered. Asymptomatic operculated holes and atrophic holes rarely cause retinal detachment and therefore treatment is not generally recommended.
Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 10 - Glaucoma. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.