Vitreous function and intervention of it with vitrectomy and other modalities

The vitreous body, the largest intraocular component, plays a key role in eye development, refraction, cell barrier function, oxygen metabolism and the pathogenesis of assorted diseases. Age, refraction and systemic diseases can cause vitreous metabolic abnormalities. With the continuous development of vitrectomy techniques and equipment, vitreous injections and vitrectomies have increased over the recent decades. However, the normal oxygen tension gradient in the vitreous helps to protect the lens and anterior chamber angle from oxidative stress damage, whereas the increased vitreous oxygen tension around lens and the trabecular meshwork after vitrectomy may lead to postoperative nuclear cataract and a high incidence of open angle glaucoma. As a conventional procedure, scleral buckling holds several advantages over vitrectomy in selected cases. This review raises concerns regarding the function of the vitreous, and encourages conducting vitreous interventions prudently.