Materials and Methods: 14 patients with complicated retinal detachments who were applied retinotomy in the vitreoretinal surgery are taken into the study. While 5 cases were having their first vitreoretinal surgeries 9 cases had one or more vitreoretinal surgeries before. 6 eyes (42.8) had proliferative vitreoretinopathy, 5 eyes(%35.7) fibrovaskuler proliferation and traction due to diabetes,1 eye (%7.1) Eales disease, 1 eye (%7.1) trauma, and 1 eye (%7.1) degenerative myopia. Silicone oil was used as intraocular tamponade in 12 eyes (85.7) and %20 perfluoropropane in 2 eyes (%14.3). The patients were followed between 6 to 10 months (average:8 months).

Results: At the end of the follow-up period, retina was attached in 11 eyes (%78.6). Postoperative visual acuity was better than the preoperative level in 11 eyes (%78.6), was worse in 2 eyes (%14.3) and was the same in 1 eye (%7.1). Postoperative intraocular pressure was normal in 10 (%72.6) eyes and was below normal level in 4 (%28.4) eyes. 3 of the eyes with low postoperative intraocular pressure had recurrent retinal detachments.1 (%9.09) of 11 eyes with reattached retinas postoperatively developed hypotony.

Conclusion: Relaxing retinotomy, an effective technique used in the treatment of complicated retinal detachments especially in the cases with shortening of the retina, can provide an easier attachment of the retina intraoperatively, increase the functional and anatomic success and decrease the incidence of complications like phthisis bulbi and neovascular glaucoma postoperatively. Keywords : Retinotomy, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, recurrent retinal detachment