WITH THE increase in longevity of the population, one can expect an increase in the number of retinal detachments seen. Detachment of the retina is to a large extent the result of degenerative processes in the eye, and until some method of arresting these processes can be found one can expect an increase in the incidence of this disease.
It is human nature to be encouraged by success and to be discouraged by failure. An analysis of failures, however painful, is frequently enlightening. Koenig1 has recently reported his failures in a small series, and the total number of patients in the present series is likewise small. Of a total of 88 patients, 24 were listed as failures. They represent cases in which I operated during the past 3½ years. For the most part, the patients were followed in the office, or adequate data have been obtained from the referring