Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of retinal degeneration (RD) with retinal holes and the therapeutic effect of argon laser therapy. Methods The data of argon laser therapy in 210 RD patients (224 eyes) with retinal holes who underwent the treatment in our department were retrospectively analyzed, which was compared with the data of argon laser therapy in 173 RD patients (198 eyes) without retinal holes. Results In RD patients with retinal holes, 89.7% of the patients were less than 60 years old (53.3% males and 46.7% females). Grid-like degeneration was found in 65.6% of the patients in whom 87.5% had the range of degeneration less than 1 quardrant. There were oval-shaped holes in 60.7% of the patients and accompanied with limited rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (LRRD) in 23.7%. Compared with RD patients without retinal holes, the ratio of patients with the age ofge;35 years, cystic degeneration, retinal lengthways small plica, and subjective symptoms was higher in RD patients with retinal holes; while the therapeutic effect of argon laser therapy on patients with LRRD was obviously less than whom without retinal holes (Plt;0.01 ). Conclusions RD with retinal holes often occurs in youth, most of whom have grid-like degeneration with the range of le;1 qua drant. The major types of retinal holes are oval-shaped degeneration without retinal detachment. There was no sex difference in RD patients with retinal holes and most of the patients have no subjective symptoms. The therapeutic effect of prophylactic argon laser therapy on RD patients with retinal holes but no retinal detachment is satisfying. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2006, 22: 39-41)