Repair of Primary Noncomplex Rhegmatagenous Retinal Detachment

With the development of pars plana vitrectomy in the 1970s and pneumatic retinopexy in the 1980s, the primacy of scleral buckling for repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) came under challenge. While a degree of consensus exists for certain forms of complex RRD, there remains little agreement concerning the optimal treatment of primary noncomplex RRD. This debate is further muddied by application of adjuvant procedures to supplement the primary surgical approach. This article aims to present the current evidence regarding repair of primary noncomplex RRD. A brief summary of primary surgical approaches—pneumatic retinopexy, scleral buckling, and pars plana vitrectomy—will be presented along with a short discussion on potential adjuvant procedures. The remainder of the article focuses on reported outcomes for the different treatment modalities for primary noncomplex RRD.