Cholesterosis bulbi: the ocular abnormality known as synchysis scintillans

Review of inpatient records at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for ten years and the inpatient and outpatient records at the Children's Hospital Medical Center for eight years revealed no diagnosed cases of synchysis scintillans. The pathology reports from the Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for the last ten years revealed 12 eyes with cholesterol crystals in the vitreous cavities or subretinal spaces, or both. All were blind, long-term damaged eyes; there were no vitreous cholesterol crystals observable clinically. This study corroborates previous reports and suggests that synchysis scintillans occurs only in severely damaged, blind eyes not visible to observation. Both the current concept and terminology of synchysis scintillans are inaccurate. Cholesterosis bulbi is a more appropriate term. Cholesterol crystals are clinically different from asteroid bodies since the former occurs only in a damaged, functionless eye.