Objective To compare the therapeutic effects of retinal detachment operation performed at different stages on the visual function,and to provide theoretical and experimental evidence for choosing the best operation time and recovery of visual function.Methods 15 colored rabbits were used for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.The animals were for retinal reattachment after 1,7 and 14 days,respectively.Multifocal eletroretinography was performed and tissue samples were taken for light and electron microscopic examinations.Results The average response densities of P-wave at the first day detached retina after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were significantly longer than those at seventh and fourteenth days,respectively,and the latencies of N-wave and P-wave were significantly smaller than those in other groups. Both the light and electron microscopic examinations depicted morphological alterations in the rhegmatogenous retinal detachment eyes followed by reattachment surgery.Conclusion The results demonstrated that there is a negative correlation between the recovery of retinal cells function after reattachment surgery and the post-operation time after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.Multifocal eletroretinography may have significant value in evaluation of topical visual function of the retina.Histopathological examination may provide important evidence for explaination of the alterations of visual function.