Epidemiolgy of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment in Dubrovnik-Neretva County

Aim: This study is the first examination of the incidence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in Dubrovnik- Neretva County, Croatia. Method: Study is a retrospective and analyzed documentation from the Retinal clinic of the Ophthalmology and Optometry Department of the General Hospital Dubrovnik. The annual incidence was calculated and analyzed in relation to sex, age, diagnosis year, affected eye, and visual acuity on diagnosis, visual acuity after therapy, type of therapy, localization of retinal detachment, risk factors, second eye rupture, redetachment, and presence of comorbidity. Results: This study presents 92 examiners (94 eyes) who were in the period 1.1.2004 to 31.12.2013 diagnosed with the RRD. The youngest patient was 24 years old and the oldest 86 years. The largest number of cases was in the older age groups (61-70 years), at the age 60 to 80 there were 54 patients (57. 45%). The average age of all patients was 61.14 years. The average annual number of patients was 9.4. Surgical procedure vitrectomy was performed for 82 (87.23%) patients, 8 (8.5%) had an operation with conventional ablation with cerclage and sealing, and 4 of them (4.27%) did not undergo surgery, due to high level of retinal detachment or older age, comorbidity and high risk of general anesthesia. Conclusion: The incidence of RRD in this study shows 7.65 on 100, 000 residents of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, and it is found to increase last years (2013 was 21 RRD) and in associations with myopia, cataract surgery and trauma.