Nearly doubled incidence of surgically treated primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in Southern Sweden, 2011–2025

PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of surgically treated primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in Southern Sweden between 2011 and 2025, and to examine whether demographic change or risk factor trends account for any change in incidence. METHODS: This retrospective, population-based study included all surgically treated primary RRD cases in Southern Sweden between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2025. Crude and age- and sex-standardised incidence rates were calculated per 100 000 person-years using population data from Statistics Sweden. Cataract surgery data were obtained from the Swedish National Cataract Registry. RESULTS: A total of 6916 surgically treated primary RRD cases were identified. Annual incidence increased from 15.8 to 29.5 cases per 100 000 person-years between 2011 and 2025, an 86.7% increase. Peak incidence of 30.4 per 100 000 person-years was seen in both 2019 and 2024. The increase persisted after age- and sex-standardisation. Mean age at surgery was 62 years and 68.3% occurred in men. Cataract surgery rate increased by 56.2% between 2011 and 2024. The proportion of pseudophakic RRD rose from 37.7% during 2011-2013 to 55.4% in 2023-2025. CONCLUSION: The RRD incidence in Southern Sweden nearly doubled over the past 15 years, reaching levels among the highest reported worldwide. The increase persisted after standardisation, indicating that population ageing and sex distribution do not account for it. The concurrent rise in cataract surgery and in the proportion of pseudophakic RRD is notable, but these population-level observations cannot establish a causal link between the rise in RRD and the cataract surgery rate.