BACKGROUND The incidence of retinal detachment in New Zealand is not currently documented in the literature. This study sought to determine the annual incidence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and associated risk factors in northern New Zealand. METHODS Epidemiological and clinical data were collected for all patients presenting with a RRD in a 12-month interval in a confined geographical area of New Zealand. RESULTS One hundred and forty-one patients presented between May 1997 and April 1998 with a RRD. Five patients presented with bilateral RRD. The mean age at presentation was 53.9 years and the annual incidence for RRD was 11.8 cases per 100,000 people. RRD was more common in males than in females (1.3:1). Ocular trauma, high myopia and cataract extraction were found to be significant risk factors in the development of RRD. CONCLUSIONS The annual incidence of RRD in northern New Zealand is comparable to values reported for other parts of the world and, consistent with previous studies, the incidence of RRD was found to increase with age, and in association with trauma, high myopia and cataract surgery.