To understand what functions the vitreous body performs, it is necessary to understand its role in the system of organs of vision. This anatomical structure is located behind the lens of the eyeball. On the outside, the vitreous body of the eye is bounded by a thin membrane film, on the inside it is divided into tracts (channels).
Structure
If you look closely at how the eye is arranged, you can see that the vitreous body makes up most of the contents of the eyeball. It contacts the outside with the plane of the ciliary structure, and at the back with the optic disc. In humans, the vitreous body affects the complete maturation of the retina and its sufficient blood supply. It has no vessels and nerves. The constancy of the gel-like medium is facilitated by the process of unilateral osmosis of nutrients from the fluid produced inside the eye. The vitreous body has a low bactericidal activity, so white blood cells and antibodies are not found in it immediately after infection, but after some time. In case of partial loss, the gel-like substance is not regenerated, but is replaced by an intraocular fluid structure.
From the ophthalmology section "Eye Anatomy" you can get a detailed idea of the volume of the vitreous body. It turns out that it is no more than 4 ml, despite the fact that more than 99% of this amount consists of water. Due to liquid filling, the volume of the eyeball is unchanged.
How is formed
The formation of this gel-like substance occurs in the early stages of fetal development. The initial function of the vitreous body was to provide nutrition to the optic lens and anterior segment through the hyaloid artery. After the lens of the fetus is fully formed, this vessel disappears with time, and the child is born without it. But as you know, any rule has exceptions: in some cases, the hyaloid artery is found in adults in the form of transformed cords of various sizes.
Why is it necessary
The main function of the vitreous body is its transmission of intraocular fluid produced by the ciliary region of the eye. Partially, the substance enters from the posterior chamber, entering directly into the vessels of the fiber and optic disc. On the front of the vitreous body there is a small depression, which corresponds to the place of contact of the posterior part of the lens. It is this semi-liquid substance that guarantees its strong connection with the membranes of the eye (ciliary epithelium and the inner border membrane).
In addition, due to the vitreous body, which retains its shape even when exposed to cargo, it is possible to carefully separate the shells without its subsequent spreading. The cortical layer of this part of the eyeball consists of hyalocytes synthesizing reticulin and hyaluronic acid, necessary to maintain the correct consistency. Microcavities are often formed in it due to retinal rupture, which, in turn, contributes to the development of its detachment in the future.
How it changes with age
If you pay attention to how the eye is structured in an adult, then when examining the vitreous body, changes in its structure will become noticeable. In newborns, this substance is a homogeneous gel-like mass, but over the years it degenerates. With the period of growing up in humans, individual molecular chains coalesce into larger compounds. The gel-like mass over time turns into an aqueous solution and an accumulation of molecular compounds. Changes are reflected in the quality of vision: these floating groups are seen by a person in the form of dots flickering before his eyes, "flies." At the final stage of this process, the vitreous is clouded and exfoliated from the retina, which is manifested by an increase in the amount of molecular suspension. In itself, this violation does not pose a significant threat, but in isolated cases it can entail detachment of the retina.
What role does vision play?
The vitreous begins to fulfill all its functions from the moment a person is born. The physiological purpose of this department of the eyeball is as follows:
- Due to its absolute transparency of the gel-like liquid, light rays penetrate directly to the surface of the retina.
- Due to the unique structure of the vitreous, the intraocular pressure indicators remain stable, which is fundamentally important for the implementation of metabolic processes and the normal functioning of the visual organ.
- The vitreous humor provides an optimal location for the retina and lens.
- In the case of sudden movements or injury to the pupil, the functions of the gel-like liquid substance are intended to compensate for the intraocular pressure drops.
- The spherical shape of the eye is the "merit" of the vitreous body.
Diseases that may occur
The process of turbidity of a semi-liquid structure can proceed in different ways. In most cases, pathological changes occur behind the cornea and lens. The vitreous body in this case undergoes pretrollent opacification. In other cases, changes occur in the central part of the organ or appear combined.
Conventionally, all diseases of the vitreous body are divided into congenital and acquired. The first group includes such pathologies:
- The presence of residues of the embryonic artery, which provided nutrition to the lens in the womb.
- Primary vitreous persistence.
With age, the development of a number of pathological phenomena and diseases of the vitreous body is possible. These include:
- liquefaction of consistency;
- destruction;
- turbidity;
- hernial masses;
- hemophthalmus (hemorrhage).
Often, patients are diagnosed with inflammation of the vitreous body of the eyeball - endophthalmitis or panophthalmitis. A more rare occurrence is posterior detachment of a substance, due to which the bond of the membrane film at the attachment points is broken. Against the background of pathology progression, the vitreous body spreads between the retina and the posterior hyaloid membrane, which leads to a rapid decrease in visual acuity.
How are diseases manifested?
Speaking about the symptoms that concern patients with diseases of the vitreous structure of the eye, it is worth noting that they are manifested, as a rule, by floating point opacities. Blots, threads, flies of various sizes seem to the patient. As for a noticeable deterioration in vision and pain in the eyes, then these signs more often occur with hemorrhage and inflammation of the vitreous body.
If the vitreous function of the patient decreases, some symptoms may not bother for a long time. Moreover, the likelihood that the disease will entail visual impairment is quite high.
Causes of pathologies of the vitreous body
Provoke disturbances in the functioning of the visual system are capable of nervous experiences, constant stress, as well as a deterioration in visual functions caused by age-related changes. In the treatment of pathologies of the vitreous body, first of all, it is important to constantly monitor an ophthalmologist and periodically conduct a comprehensive examination. Only a qualified specialist is able to prescribe a competent treatment for the problem.
At risk of diseases of the vitreous structure of the eye include patients older than 40 years. If vision problems appeared at an earlier age, a person needs to reconsider his lifestyle and, if possible, eliminate provocative factors.
What is destruction
We are talking about the destruction of the vitreous body, which leads to the appearance of very pronounced symptoms. The filling substance becomes cloudy, which is perceived by the patient as the occurrence of floating noise - villi, stripes, dots, nodules. The process of destruction of the vitreous body is most often caused by disturbances in the blood supply to this zone, diseases of the endocrine system, injuries to the eye and head, and stress. Of course, age factors also play a role.
Chaotic opacities are characteristic of destruction. In this case, visual disturbances can occur in front of the patient in any zone of visibility. In the process of destruction of the vitreous structure of the eye, moving transparent inclusions appear that have clear boundaries. In one place they do not stand and move after the pupil. The functions of the visual organs do not suffer, therefore, destruction treatment is carried out extremely rarely, only in the presence of critical impairments.
Today, therapy involves the splitting of clouding areas with a laser. It is important to note that any surgery on the vitreous body can cause complications.
What is dangerous detachment and hemorrhage
In both cases, there is a risk of vision loss, and therefore any of the pathologies should be taken seriously. When peeling in front of the eyes, short flashes, glare, lightning, or black dots occur. The vitreous separation process itself is safe for the patient. You can do without intervention when the symptoms are mildly blurry. But if you do not take any therapeutic measures, a decrease in visual function is inevitable.
In addition, cases of hemorrhage in the vitreous region are known in ophthalmology. Even if this disease does not bring any discomfort, the patient needs to visit a specialist regularly. Repeated episodes of hemorrhage lead to loss of vision, therefore, the primary task of the attending physician is the prevention of relapse and maintaining the functions of the vitreous body.
Ophthalmologic diagnosis
To identify the pathology of the vitreous body, ophthalmologists conduct the following types of diagnostic studies:
- Visometry is a "standard" procedure that allows you to determine visual acuity in a patient. Each study took place: with the help of tables and posters with sufficient lighting, the optometrist checks the visual functions of the right and left eyes.
- Biomicroscopy allows you to assess the condition of the anterior region of the vitreous body under a microscope.
- Ophthalmoscopy is designed to detect changes in the posterior vitreous.
- Optical coherence tomography involves the identification of retinal pathology for delamination.
- Ultrasound - a detailed study of the condition of the eyeballs.
Before starting treatment of any disease of the vitreous body of the eye, it is important to accurately differentiate it from other pathologies according to the type of detected changes of a degenerative or inflammatory nature.
Achievements of scientists
In the presence of diagnosed disorders of the nervous system, patients are advised to undergo surgical treatment of the vitreous body. This operation is called vitrectomy. After removing the gel-like liquid, the department is filled with a physical substance similar in physical characteristics.
To date, ophthalmologists have developed methods for the synthetic cultivation of hyalocytes. They plan to use them to create a substitute for the vitreous body, which has changed its structure. The analogue should be free from the disadvantages of the silicone fluid that is introduced to patients after vitrectomy today.