Biomicroscopic Study of Vitreous Cavity in Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract

Two of the most serious complications of diabetic retinopathy are vitreous hemorrhage and retinal detachment. The purpose of this paper is to describe observations made of the vitreous cavity in patients with diabetic retinopathy. The clinical impressions gathered from this study suggest that vitreoretinal traction produced by shrinkage of the vitreous body is an important factor in the development of these complications. <h3>Materials and Methods</h3> The vitreous cavity and retina of 161 eyes in 86 patients with varying degrees of diabetic retinopathy were studied using the binocular indirect ophthalmoscope and a biomicroscope with a three-mirror contact lens. In 11 patients, examination of the fellow eye was not possible because of opacities of the ocular media, phthisis bulbi, or previous enucleation. These patients, 46 males and 40 females, were referred to either the Retina Associates or the Retina Service of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary by the Diabetes Clinic of