2020–2021 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™
2 Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology
Part IV: Biochemistry and Metabolism
Chapter 11: Vitreous
Biochemical Changes With Aging and Disease
Injury With Hemorrhage and Inflammation
Injury to the eye can result in inflammation and, in many cases, intraocular hemorrhage. If blood penetrates the vitreous cortex, platelets come into contact with vitreous collagen, aggregate, and initiate clot formation. The clot in turn stimulates a phagocytic inflammatory reaction, and the vitreous becomes liquefied in the area of a hemorrhage. The subsequent inflammatory reaction varies in degree for unknown reasons and may result in proliferative vitreoretinopathy (see also BCSC Section 12, Retina and Vitreous).
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Streeten BAW, Wilson DJ. Disorders of the vitreous. In: Garner A, Klintworth GK, eds. Pathobiology of Ocular Disease: A Dynamic Approach. 2nd ed. 2 vols. New York: M. Dekker; 1994:701–742.
Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 2 - Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.