Peripheral retinal changes: a survey of high school boys from Hail, Saudi Arabi

ABSTRACT

Purpose: A clinical study was carried out to document the prevalence of developmental degenerative changes in the peripheral retina which are sometimes precursors of retinal detachment. We examined the eyes of 330 normal, asymptomatic High School boys of Saudi Arabian origin at three schools in hail, Saudi Arabia. Peripheral cystoid degeneration was a very common finding. Lattice degeneration was found in 30[9.1%] subjects, 13 of whom had bilateral lattice degeneration. In seven eyes lattice degeneration was associated with atrophic holes. Retinal breaks were found in 21[6.4%] subjects; the majority [78.3%] were atrophic holes with 38.9% found within areas of lattice degeneration. Other retinal changes discovered were white without pressure, retinal tufts, paving stone degeneration, meridional folds, and meridional complexes. Knowledge of these peripheral retinal changes is important in understanding the mechanism, management and, more importantly, the prevention of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Prophylactic treatment of the asymptomatic precursor tesions of retinal detachment is rarely indicated in the absence of high risk factors such as myopia, aphakia, retinal detachment in the other eye, or a family history of retinal detachment