Eye Care - Posterior Vitreous Detachment
As we age,
the vitreous humor of the eye tends to contract, or shrink, and eventually
separates from the retina. This is known as a posterior vitreous separation.
The condition is extremely common by the eighth or ninth decade of life, and is
known to occur at an earlier age in highly myopic (nearsighted) individuals. In
general, posterior vitreous separation is innocuous, though many patients will
experience the development of floaters, which are harmless, but nevertheless
annoying. A small percentage of patients will develop a retinal tear or hole
when the posterior vitreous separation occurs, and this may lead to retinal
detachment.
When a patient presents with a new floater, ophthalmologists typically
recommend a dilated eye examination to rule-out a retinal hole, tear, or
detachment. At this time, the posterior vitreous separation can usually be
identified. If no other abnormalities are present, the patient can rest assured
that the risk of visual loss is extremely low. Patients are usually cautioned,
however, that they should return if they experience flashes of light, many new
floaters, or a curtain-like loss of vision. These latter symptoms may be
present with a retinal hole, tear, or detachment. Otherwise, the patient may be
routinely evaluated at a later date, or not at all, depending on the
circumstances. The floaters, which are often large and distracting at first,
fortunately tend to "settle" to the bottom of the eye, thus relieving
the annoyance. This often takes weeks or months, however.