Epidemiology of Giant Retinal Tears in the United Kingdom: The British Giant Retinal Tear Epidemiology Eye Study (BGEES)

PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of giant retinal tear (GRT) in the United Kingdom and to provide epidemiologic data, clinical characteristics, treatment methods, and short-term outcomes in affected and fellow eyes. METHODS: Patients with a newly developed GRT (90 degrees or greater in circumferential extent associated with posterior vitreous detachment) were identified prospectively over a 13-month period (January 2007-January 2008, inclusive) by active surveillance through the British Ophthalmic Surveillance Unit. Questionnaire-based data were obtained from reporting ophthalmologists at baseline and 12 months. RESULTS: Sixty patients (62 eyes) developed a new GRT, giving a U.K. annual incidence of 0.094 (95% CI 0.072-0.120) cases or 0.091 (95% CI 0.069-0.117) patients per 100,000. The GRTs were mostly idiopathic (54.8%), affected middle-aged (mean, 42.2 years), white British (93.3%) males (71.7%), with presenting vision worse than 20/40 in 59.7%, foveal detachment in 45.2%, and proliferative vitreoretinopathy of grade C (PVR-C) or worse in 11.3%. Treatment in most was managed by pars plana vitrectomy (93.5%) with laser retinopexy (52.5%) and silicone oil endotamponade (75.8%). Prophylactic 360 degrees laser or cryotherapy was applied to 39.0% of the fellow eyes. At mean follow-up of 11.3 months, eventual retinal reattachment was attained in 94.7%, although only 42.1% achieved vision of >or=20/40. Neither GRT nor RD developed in any of the 19 nontraumatic, noniatrogenic, prophylactically treated fellow eyes. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first population-based prospective effort to evaluate the epidemiology of GRT. Although only a minority presented with PVR-C and high retinal reattachment rates were achieved, fewer than half had vision sufficient for driving in the GRT eye.