Abstract
Changes that occur in the vitreous during ageing contribute to a variety of vitreoretinal disorders. These age-related changes are rheologic, biochemical, and structural in nature. Our current knowledge of these ageing changes is reviewed. Hypotheses for the mechanisms of liquefaction (synchisis senilis) and posterior vitreous detachment are proposed.
Article PDF
References
Busacca A . La structure biomicroscopique du corps vitre normal. Ann. Ocul. 1958; 91: 477–99.
Goldmann VH : Senescenz des glaskörpers. Ophthalmologica 1962; 143: 253–79.
Eisner G : Zur anatomie des glaskörpers. A v Graef Arch. Klin Exp. Ophthal 1975; 193: 33–56.
O'Malley P : The pattern of vitreous syneresis—A study of 800 autopsy eyes. In Irvine AR & O'Malley C, eds. Advances in vitreous surgery. Springfield: Charles Thomas 1976; 17–33.
Okasala A : Ultrasonic findings in the vitreous body at various ages. A v Graef. Arch. Klin Exp. Ophthalmol. 1978; 207: 275–80.
Balazs EA, Denlinger JL : The vitreous. In Dawson H, ed. The Eye. London: Academic Press 1984; Vol. 1a: 533–89.
Sebag J, Balazs EA, Flood MT : The fibrous structure of human vitreous. Ophthalmology 1981; 88: 62.
Sebag J, Balazs EA : Human vitreous fibres and vitreoretinal disease. Trans. Ophthalmol. Soc. U.K. 1985; 104: 123–8.
Balazs EA, Denlinger JL : Aging changes in the vitreous. In Sekuler R, Kline D, Dismukes K, eds. Aging and human visual function. Vol 2: Modern Aging Research. New York: Alan R Liss 1982; 45–57.
Eisner G, Bachman E : Verglichend morphologische Spaltlampenuntersuchung des glaskörpers. A v Graef Arch. Klin Exp. Ophthalmol 1974; 191: 329–50.
Denlinger JL, Eisner G, Balazs EA : Age-related changes in the vitreous and lens of rhesus monkeys macaca mulatta). Exp. Eye Res. 1980; 31: 67–79.
Morner CT : Untersuchung der proteinsubstanzin in der lichtbrechenden medien des auges. Z. Physiol. Chem. 1894; 18: 233–40.
Friedenwald JS, Stiehler RD : Structure of the vitreous. Arch. Ophthalmol. 1935; 14: 789–908.
Pirie A, Schmidt G, Waters JW : Ox vitreous humour. I. The residual protein. Br. J. Ophthalmol. 1948; 32: 321–9.
Chakrabarti B, Park JW : Glycosaminoglycans structure and interaction. CRC. Crit. Rev. Biochem. 1980; 8: 255–313.
Armand G, Chakrabarti B : Conformational differences between hyaluronates of gel and liquid human vitreous—fractionation and circular dichroism studies. Cur. Eye Res. (In Press).
Andley UP, Chapman SF : Effect of oxidation on the conformation of hyaluronic acid. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 1984, 25: 318–0.
Ueno N, Sebag J, Hirokawa H, Chakrabarti B : Effects of visible light irradiation on vitreous structure in the presence of a photosensitizer. 1987 Exp. Eye Res. (In Press).
Schnider SL, Kohn RR : Effects of age and diabetes mellitus on the solubility of collagen from human skin, tracheal cartilage and dura mater. Exp. Gerontol. 1982; 17: 185–94.
Kohn RR, Rollerson E : Relationship of age to swelling properties of human diaphragm tendon in acid and alkaline solutions. J. Gerontol. 1958; 13: 241–7.
Hamlin CR, Kohn RR : Evidence for progressive age-related structural changes in post-mature human collagen. Biochem. Biophys. Acta 1971; 236: 458–67.
Snowden JM, Eyre DR, Swann DA : Vitreous structure. VI. Age-related changes in thermal stability and crosslinks of vitreous, articular cartilage and tendon collagens. Biochem. Biophys. Acta 1982; 706: 153–7.
Berman ER, Michelson IC : The chemical composition of the human vitreous body as related to age and myopia. Exp. Eye Res. 1964; 3: 9–15.
Balazs EA : The molecular biology of the vitreous. In McPherson A ed. New and controversial aspects of retinal detachment. New York: Harper and Row 1968; 3–15.
Caulfield JB : Medical progress in the application of the electron microscope to renal disease. N. Engl. J. Med. 1964, 270: 183–94.
Gartner J : Electron microscopic observations on the cilio-zonular border of the human eye with particular reference to the aging changes. z. Anat. Entwicklung. 1970; 131: 263–73.
Hogan MJ, Alvarado JA, Weddel JE : Histology of the human eye: An atlas and textbook. Philadelphia, WB Saunders, 1971; 607.
Teng CC, Chi HH : Vitreous changes and the mechanism of retinal detachment. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 1975; 44: 335–56.
Hogan MJ : The vitreous—its structure in relation to the ciliary body and retina. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 1963; 2: 418–45.
Foos RY : Posterior vitreous detachment. Trans. Am. Acad. Ophthalmol. Otolaryngol. 1972; 76: 480–96.
Lindner B : Acute posterior vitreous detachment vitreous detachment and its retinal complications. Acta Ophthalmol. (Kbh) 1966; 87 (Suppl.): 1.
Foos RY, Wheeler NC : Vitreoretinal juncture, synchisis senilis, and posterior vitreous detachment. Ophthalmology 1982; 89: 1502–12.
Larsson L, Osterlin S : Posterior vitreous detachment—a combined clinical and physiochemical study. Graefe Arch. Clin Exp. Ophthalmol. 1985; 223: 92–95.
Kloti R : Experimental occlusion of retinal and ciliary vessels in owl monkeys. I. Technique and clinical observations of selective embolism of the central retinal artery system. Exp. Eye Res. 1967; 6: 393–9.
Balazs EA : The vitreous. In Zinn K, ed. Ocular fine structure for the clinician. Int. Ophthalmol. Clin. Boston: Little, Brown and Co. 1973; Vol. 15: 53–63.
Kuhn W, Hargitay B, Katchalsky M, Eisenberg H : Reversible dilation and contraction by changing the state of ionization of high polymer acid networks. Nature 1950; 165: 514–6.
Osterlin S : Changes in the vitreous with age. Trans. Ophthalmol. Soc. U.K. 1975, 95: 372–7.
Sebag J : Age-related changes in human vitreous structure. Graefe Arch. Clin. Exp. Ophthalmol. 1987 (In Press).
Sebag J, Balazs EA : Pathogenesis of cystoid macular edema—An anatomic consideration of vitreoretinal adhesions. Surv. Ophthalmol 1984; 28 (Suppl): 493–8.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Knapp Fellow of the Heed Ophthalmic Foundation, 1985-86.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sebag, J. Ageing of the vitreous. Eye 1, 254–262 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1987.45
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1987.45
This article is cited by
-
Acute symptomatic vitreous floaters assessed with ultra-wide field scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and spectral domain optical coherence tomography
Scientific Reports (2021)
-
Induction of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) by non-enzymatic reagents targeting vitreous collagen liquefaction as well as vitreoretinal adhesion
Scientific Reports (2020)
-
In Vivo Stability of Therapeutic Proteins
Pharmaceutical Research (2020)
-
Retina transduction by rAAV2 after intravitreal injection: comparison between mouse and rat
Gene Therapy (2019)