Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) is the principal predisposing event to the development of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. It has been suggested that strong vitreoretinal adhesion accounts for a variety of vitreoretinopathies associated with PVD This study was designed to elucidate vitreo–retinal changes in both eyes of patients having a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Methods: A prospective study of 97 consecutive patients with PVD was performed using high–resolution ultrasonography, biometry and fundus biomicroscopy in both eyes (194 eyes). The vitreous condition was classified according to the presence or absence of PVD, presence of vitreoretinal adherences and retinal tears, echographic evidence of posterior hyaloid doubling or intense posterior vitreoschisis. Results: Out of 97 patients with PVD, 9 (9,2%) had echographic and biomicroscopic evidence of retinal tears, 31 (31,9%) had echographic evidence of focal vitreoretinal adherences, 22 (22,6%) showed echographic evidence of posterior hyaloid doubling or intense posterior vitreoschisis and 22 (22,6%) had funduscopic evidence of retinal lesions. Patients without bilateral PVD who completed the 12 months follow–up, (19,4%) developed PVD.Conclusion: High–resolution ultrasonography clearly depicted posterior vitreous changes that were not evident with simple fundus biomicroscopy allowing a better evaluation of patients with PVD. This study suggests that sites of abnormal vitreoretinal adherence are likely to exist that prevent the achievement of a complete PVD, increasing the risk for retinal breaks.
Keywords: vitreous • retinal detachment