Objective To explore the therapeutic value and effects of relaxing retinotomy for perforating traction retinal detachment(PTRD). Method A retrospective survey was done in 21 patinets (21 eyes) with PTRD who underwent vitrectomy combined with relaxing retinotomy in our hospital from 1998 to 2001. Results The retinae were completely reattached in all 21 cases. The visual acuity of 12 patients (57%) was counting finger, and the best visual acuity was 0.05. Among the 18 patients who were followed up for 6 to 25 months, 14(77.8%) remained retinal reattachment. Conclusions Relaxing retinotomy is effective for anatomic reattachment of PTRD, especially to the patients with retinal incarceration and severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy.