Predictive value of floaters in the diagnosis of posterior vitreous detachment.

Abstract

To evaluate Weiss ring and floaters as indexes of posterior vitreous detachment. Using biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy, we examined the posterior vitreous in 200 consecutive eyes with posterior vitreous detachment. In 200 eyes with posterior vitreous detachment, biomicroscopy disclosed complete, incomplete, and no Weiss ring in 102 (51%), 72 (36%), and 26 (13%) eyes, respectively. Indirect ophthalmoscopy showed the glial ring in 58 (56.9%) and 16 (22.2%) of the eyes, with a complete (102 eyes) and incomplete (72 eyes) Weiss ring, respectively. Although the incidence of floaters was significantly correlated with the presence of the glial ring (P = .0014), 60 (58.8%) and 49 (68.1%) of the eyes with a complete (102 eyes) and incomplete (72 eyes) glial ring, respectively, had no floaters. Detecting the detached posterior vitreous cortex by biomicroscopy is essential regardless of the presence of Weiss ring or floaters.