Vitrectomy for Symptomatic Asteroid Hyalosis

Acute vision loss may accompany complete or partial posterior vitreous separation in asteroid hyalosis (AH), and pars plana vitrectomy may resolve these symptoms.

Six individuals with AH and acute vision loss associated with diagnosed posterior vitreous separation were treated with pars plana vitrectomy, and visual acuity (VA) recovery was monitored for 3 months.

The study patients' preoperative VA ranged from 20/25 to 20/2500 (mean, 20/150; logMAR, 0.88). The average decrease in VA with anterior progression of the hyaloid was logMAR 0.70. Following surgical clearance of the asteroid bodies, VA returned to baseline within 1 month following vitrectomy in 2 eyes, and within 3 months in all eyes. Final VA was 20/20 to 20/200 (mean, 20/35; logMAR, 0.24).

Patients with AH may present with acute onset of severe vision loss in association with posterior vitreous separation. Vitrectomy may be curative and restore vision.