[Clinical diagnosis of proliferative vitreoretinopathy]

The clinical features of a proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) are systematically described. The patient's history reveals moderate lost of vision and metamorphopsia. Ophthalmoscopy, biomicroscopy of the fundus with the contact lens, and black-and-white photography usually lead to the correct diagnosis. Early stages of PVR are characterized by increased reflectance and a cellophane appearance of the inner retinal surface and tortuosity of both small and larger vessels. Advanced epiretinal tissue formation causes development of surface wrinkling and single or multifocal star-folds. In cases of retinal detachment with PVR, the retina is immobile, the detachment being concave due to traction or bullous if there are secondary breaks. In the final stages of posterior and/or anterior PVR the detached retina forms a narrow or closed funnel.