Connecting the dots: the role of genetics in posterior vitreous detachment

The vitreous is a transparent homogenous gel comprised predominantly of water. It is firmly attached to the internal limiting membrane in young healthy individuals. As part of the physiological aging process, the separation of the posterior vitreous cortex from the internal limiting membrane is called physiological posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), which usually occurs without ocular complications. On the contrary, anomalous PVD can have various sight-threatening complications. The cause of this difference is poorly understood and is a topic of future research. Further, newer evidence indicates that anomalous PVD may be genetically influenced.