To evaluate the clinical features and surgical and visual outcomes of retinal detachment (RD) in the pediatric population in southern Iran.

We conducted a review of 81 patients less than 18 years, who underwent primary RD surgery at Shiraz University Khalili hospital from 2005 to 2010, with postoperative follow up of at least 12 months.

Male gender comprised 70% of the patients. Most common etiologies included trauma (86%) and myopia >4 diopters (7%). Different types of break and proliferative viteroretinopathy were present in 77% and 14% of eyes respectively. The most common primary treatment was deep viterectomy (77%0, followed by scleral buckle (19%). Single-operation reattachment was accomplished in 56% of patients. Functional visual loss (lower than 5/200 in last follow up) occurred in 66.7%. Rate of anatomical success was 61.7%. In the logistic regression model, statistically significant predictors of final BCVA were initial BCVA, RAPD, anatomical success, extent of preoperative RD, and primary RD surgery (P values were 0.015, 0.002, 0.053, 0.031, and 0.056 respectively). Anatomical success improves with lower number of RD surgeries and normal lens status (logistic regression P values were <0.001 and 0.079 respectively).

Predisposing factor of trauma was more prevalent in our study than previously reported. Higher rate of functional visual loss and lower anatomical success rate in our study may be due to higher rate of trauma and more complexity of RD in the population studied.