Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 27-gauge sutureless vitrectomy with air tamponade for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).Methods The clinical data of 35 consecutive eyes with primary RRD from 35 patients who received 27-gauge vitrectomy with intraocular air tamponade in Zhongshan Eye Center from April 2016 to January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.The mean follow-up duration was 8.6 months.Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (LogMAR) and intraocular pressure (IOP) were examined before surgery,1 week and 3 months after surgery.The operative duration,sclerotomy sites,retinal reattachment rate,intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded.Results The mean duration of vitreous removal was (15.3 ± 3.6) minutes,and the mean duration of operation was (34.5 ± 4.8) minutes.No suturing process was performed at sclerotomy sites in all eyes.The retinal reattachment rate following a single procedure was 100％.The mean BCVA was significantly different among before surgery,1 week and 3 months after surgery (F =64.12,P＜0.01),and the BCVA at 1 week and 3 months after surgery was evidently improved in comparison with before surgery (0.82±0.31 vs.1.01 ±0.40;0.68±0.30 vs.1.01 ±0.40) (both at P＜0.05).The mean IOP was (14.69±3.66),(17.37±2.32) and (16.69±2.45) mmHg (1 mmHg =0.133 kPa) before surgery,1 week and 3 months after surgery,showing a significant difference among them (F=14.82,P＜0.01),and the IOP 1 week and 3 months after surgery was evidently higher than that before surgery (both at P＜0.05).The complications included intraoperative iatrogenic retinal breaks in 2 eyes,postoperative hypotony in 1 eye and hypertension in 5 eyes.These complications were curable.Conclusions 27-Gauge vitrectomy and air tamponade for RRD is an effective and safe approach.