Purpose: To investigate the incidence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and describe characteristics of the RRD population.
Methods: Retrospective, observational case series. Data on residents of South Rogaland, Norway, diagnosed with primary RRD in the period 2000-2019 were obtained by medical chart review. Patient demographics and prior intraocular surgery were documented. Incidence rates adjusted to the Norwegian population were calculated for 5-year periods and stratified by age, sex and lens status.
Results: The RRD incidence increased from 12.6 per 100 000 person-years in 2000-2004 to 20.2 in 2015-2019. The RRD incidence increased by 2.9% per year (p < 0.0001) corresponding to an accumulated increase of 77%. Demographic changes accounted for 30% of the increase. The pseudophakic RRD incidence increased yearly by 4.9% (p < 0.0001), over double the rate of the phakic RRD increase of 2.3% (p = 0.0005). In individuals ≥50 years old, the annual RRD incidence increase was 4.5% (p = 0.019) for pseudophakic females, 3.9% (p = 0.001) for pseudophakic males and 2.6% (p = 0.03) for phakic females. Males were younger compared with females when undergoing lens exchange surgery, 58.5 (SD 12.5) versus 62.4 (SD 13.2) years, (p = 0.013) and when diagnosed with pseudophakic RRD, 61.9 (SD 12.5) versus 68.2 (SD 12.9) years, (p < 0.0001). There was no significant increase in subjects under 50 years of age.
Conclusion: The RRD incidence increased dramatically over 20 years, of which 30% was attributed to demographic changes. The most pronounced change occurred in pseudophakic RRD, which calls for raised awareness of the individual risk related to lens exchange surgery.
Keywords: demographics; epidemiology; incidence; phakia; pseudophakia; retinal detachment; rhegmatogenous.