Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment and Solar Radiation in Northwestern Spain

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and solar radiation in northwestern Spain. METHODS: All RRD cases in Pontevedra from 2008 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Climatological data from 4 weather stations in the area were collected. The association between RRD incidence and solar radiation was investigated. RESULTS: A total of 256 RRD cases were identified. There was a seasonal variation in the incidence of RRD with a maximum number of incident cases observed in June and July and a minimum number of cases observed in January and December. An association was found between RRD incidence and solar radiation both monthly (p = 0.004) and bimonthly (p = 0.057). The right eye was more frequently affected than the left eye (p = 0.035). RD cases other than rhegmatogenous showed neither seasonality nor association with radiation. CONCLUSIONS: Solar radiation may play a role in RRD genesis in our area. Laterality could be related to the amount of radiation reaching each eye.