The VITREOUS is a clear gel that fills the center of the eye. The vitreous serves important developmental functions when the eye is first forming. After the eye is fully formed, the vitreous is less important. In fact, in certain conditions, the vitreous gel is surgically removed and replaced with clear fluid, to help treat specific eye diseases.
As we mature, the vitreous undergoes a process called SYNERESIS. This is where the vitreous gel shrinks and turns to liquid. It is a normal aging process. As the gel liquefies, it separates from the surface of the retina. Floaters, pieces of tissue floating in the gel, develop, causing people to see images appearing to float in front of them. As the gel pulls against the retina, it can cause a hole to develop in the retina which could lead to a retinal detachment. A retinal detachment is said to have developed when the retina separates from the inner wall of the eyeball. Retinal detachments can lead to blindness if surgery is not performed to reattach the retina to its proper position.
PLEASE NOTE: The information contained on this system is not intended to supplant individual professional consultation, but is offered as a community education service. Advice on individual problems should be obtained directly from a professional.
Copyright, 1994. Richard E. Gans, M.D.
Last Modified: August 23, 1996