Analysis of Etiologic Factors in Pediatric Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment With Genetic Testing.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the etiology and clinical features of nontraumatic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in children.

DESIGN: Consecutive, cross-sectional study.

METHODS: In this study, 112 operative eyes of 102 patients ≤18 years of age with nontraumatic RRD were included. Comprehensive ophthalmic examinations were performed in all patients. Genetic testing was performed in 34 patients with hereditary congenital/developmental diseases. The etiology of RRD was analyzed.

RESULTS: The average age was 12.2 ± 4.5 years (range, 1-18 years). The percentages of male and female patients were 74.5% (76/102) and 25.5% (26/102), respectively. The most common etiologic factors were congenital/developmental anomalies (51/102, 50%), followed by simple myopia (34/102, 33.3%) and previous intraocular surgery (6/102, 5.9%). More than half (31/51, 60.8%) of the patients with congenital/developmental anomalies had familial exudative vitreoretinopathy. Further analysis of the underlying etiologic factors based on age revealed that the most common etiology of RRD in patients ≤12 years of age was congenital/developmental anomalies (28/48, 58.3%); however, simple myopia was the major etiologic factor in patients >12 years of age (27/54, 50%).

CONCLUSIONS: Congenital/developmental diseases were the most common etiologies of pediatric nontraumatic RRD in China. Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy accounted for most of the congenital/developmental anomalies.