Fig. 2

Physical forces acting on a freely hanging retina. Primary RRD due to a 12 o’clock break directly above the fovea hangs down like a hammock under the effect of gravity. As this ‘hammock’ is symmetrical, the resultant lateral forces, \(T_{lateral}\), is zero along its central line (a). The central sagittal line can be assumed to hang under the effect of gravity, \(F_{gravity}\), as a catenary (b)