Epidemiology

Internationally, incidence rates of rhegmatogenous RD differ only slightly. These differences may be due to the age of the population surveyed and whether pseudophakic/aphakic patients were included in the study, rather than to a genetic predisposition. In the US, there are approximately 28,000 cases of rhegmatogenous RD each year. The mean annual age- and sex-adjusted incidence in one study was 17.9/100,000 population in Olmsted County,[2] and in another study 12.9/100,000 population in Rochester, Minnesota.[3] The higher rate in Olmsted County may be attributable to the greater number of cataract procedures. A rate of 8.0/100,000 population has been reported in China;[4] 6.9/100,000 population in Finland;[5] 10.4/100,000 population in Sweden;[6] and 10.4/100,000 population in Japan.[7] The incidence of rhegmatogenous RD increases with age.[3] For patients 60 years and older, the rate increased to 21.8 /100,000 population in Finland[5] and to 28.0 /100,000 population in Sweden.[6] There have been conflicting reports about prevalence in men and women, although one study found men to be more affected than women.[8]

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