Symptoms of vitreous destruction and prognosis for the disease

Destruction of the vitreous body is the partial or complete destruction of the vitreous body of the eyeball.

The disease mainly affects older people. It is diagnosed with equal frequency in men and women. At a young age, it usually develops as a complication of high myopia (myopia) or eye injuries.

According to statistics, destruction of the vitreous body is more often observed in economically developed countries of the world. This is due to significant visual loads, longer life expectancy and some other factors.

Destruction is the destruction of the vitreous body

Risk factors and causes of vitreous destruction

The vitreous body is a gel-like substance that fills the inner cavity of the eyeball between the lens and the retina. It consists of water (99%), hyaluronic acid and collagen. Long threads of collagen, intertwining with each other, turn into a kind of frame, the cells of which are filled with a gel formed by water and hyaluronic acid.

Normally, the vitreous body is completely transparent. However, under the influence of negative factors, the molecules of the substances included in its composition disintegrate into separate fragments. This leads to a change in the qualitative and quantitative composition of the gel.

The disease mainly affects older people. It is diagnosed with equal frequency in men and women.

Gradually, particles lacking optical transparency accumulate in the thickness of the vitreous body. It is them that patients with vitreous destruction consider “flying spots.” In some cases, particles mechanically irritate the retinal receptors, which is perceived as bursts of bright sparks, flashing lightning before the eyes.

When the vitreous body is destroyed, particles lacking optical transparency accumulate in its thickness.

The causes of destruction of the vitreous body can be:

1. Inflammation of the structures of the eyeball, including dacryocystitis, blepharitis, keratitis, endophthalmitis.
2. Diseases of the endocrine glands, kidneys or liver. Dysfunction of these organs leads to disruption of the physiological ratio of stromal components, glucosamines, proteoglycans and fluid.
3. Impaired blood supply to the brain and retina. Against this background, a reflex spasm of the eye muscles occurs, the blood supply to the eyeball as a whole deteriorates, which becomes the cause of destruction of the vitreous body.
4. Elderly age. With age, the properties of the colloidal gel gradually change. At the periphery it becomes denser, and in the central part (where opaque particles accumulate) its rheological properties deteriorate.
5. High myopia. Against this background, the spherical shape of the eyeball gradually changes to an ellipsoidal one. This process is accompanied by deformation of the structures of the eye, disruption of metabolism in them, which is a trigger for the destructive process in the colloidal gel of the vitreous body.
6. Traumatic injuries to the eye, which lead to the development of hemophthalmos, disturbances in the primary structure of collagen molecules.
7. Iatrogenic factors. Damage to the vitreous can be a complication of cataract surgery.
8. Diabetes. Decompensation of diabetes mellitus causes damage to the blood vessels of the microvasculature. As a result, disturbances in the blood supply and metabolic processes in the eyeball occur.

Forms of the disease

Depending on the extent of the pathological process, the following forms of destruction of the vitreous body are distinguished:

• partial - a cavity is formed in the central part of the vitreous body containing destroyed collagen particles and a liquefied colloidal gel;
• complete - over time, the pathological cavity in the central part of the vitreous body increases in size and occupies the entire space between the retina and the lens. Strands are formed in it that can fuse tightly with the fundus of the eye, leading to deformation of the eyeball, the formation of adhesions, and retinal detachment.

At a young age, destruction of the vitreous body usually develops as a complication of high myopia (myopia) or eye injuries.

Based on the type of films and strands formed, destruction of the vitreous body can be:

• thread-like - mainly observed against the background of progressive myopia or atherosclerosis;
• granular - caused by inflammatory processes in the inner retinal layer;
• crystalline - damage to the vitreous body is caused by the deposition of tyrosine or cholesterol crystals in it.

Symptoms of vitreous destruction

The main symptoms of vitreous destruction:

• photopsia is a visual phenomenon consisting of the appearance of flashing “flies”, lightning, sparks, and “veil” before the eyes;
• hemophthalmos – hemorrhage into the vitreous;
• decreased visual acuity.

Destruction of the vitreous body is manifested by photopsia, hemophthalmos and decreased visual acuity

“Floaters” and “veils” in patients with vitreous destruction usually occur when looking at the sky or a white monitor. When you try to focus your gaze, the “spots” disappear from your field of vision.

Diagnostics

To confirm the diagnosis of vitreous destruction, the following diagnostic methods are used:

1. Ophthalmoscopy. Empty cavities are identified that look like vertical slits; white-gray fibrous structures are clearly visible behind the boundary membrane. With complete destruction of the vitreous body, one cavity is visualized, containing fragments of fibrils.
2. Ultrasound of the eyeball in B-scan mode. Allows you to detect crystalline structures in the vitreous body, the focus of hemorrhage. The mobility of the observed crystals and other inclusions indicates liquefaction of the colloidal structure.
3. Biomicroscopy using a slit lamp. Changes in the consistency of the gel are detected, as well as the presence of cloudiness in the form of flakes. In the filamentous form of destruction, collagen fibers in the form of loop-shaped structures are found in the vitreous body. Granular destruction is characterized by the presence of small brown or gray particles, which in the later stages stick together to form conglomerates.
4. Optical coherence tomography. It is used in cases of low information content of other methods. Allows you to identify symptoms of destruction of the vitreous body, such as heterogeneity of its structure, turbidity, change in shape and reduction in size. Contraindicated in case of massive hemophthalmos.
5. Visometry. Determination of visual acuity using special tables.
6. Tonometry. Measurement of intraocular pressure, which usually increases when the vitreous body is destroyed.

The diagnosis of “destruction of the vitreous body” is confirmed after a thorough examination. One of the diagnostic methods is ophthalmoscopy

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Treatment of vitreous destruction

There are no specific methods for treating the destruction of the vitreous body, so the tactics in each specific case are determined by the degree of decrease in visual acuity and changes in the colloidal structure of the vitreous body.

Treatment of vitreous destruction in the initial stages consists of lifestyle correction and drug therapy.

Patients are advised to avoid prolonged visual stress; when working at a computer, they need to take breaks every hour, during which they perform special exercises for the eyes.

Timely treatment can prevent or significantly slow down the progression of pathology and deterioration of visual function.

Drug therapy is carried out with absorbent drugs, antioxidants, angioprotectors, as well as agents that improve cerebral circulation and blood flow in the microvasculature.

Conservative treatment of vitreous destruction involves the use of absorbent drugs, angioprotectors, and antioxidants

With significant damage to the vitreous body, conservative therapy is not able to provide a lasting positive effect. In this case, surgical treatment is indicated.

Large fragments of collagen fibers are usually removed using a YAG laser, an operation called vitreolysis.

The intervention is performed under local anesthesia with mandatory dilation of the pupils using short-acting mydriatics.

Certain difficulties can be observed with a significant degree of mobility of pathological particles in the thickness of the colloidal gel of the vitreous body. Vitreolysis does not lead to a decrease in visual function.

In case of significant damage, surgical treatment using a YAG laser is used

At advanced stages of the disease, when almost complete destruction of the vitreous body has occurred, there is a need for its removal - vitrectomy.

The operation is performed using microsurgical techniques, both under local and general anesthesia (depending on individual indications). The surgeon separates the colloidal gel into small sections and then aspirates them.

After this, gas, silicone oil or a balanced salt solution is injected into the cavity of the eyeball to normalize intraocular pressure.

Possible complications and consequences

The most common complications:

• shrinkage of the vitreous body, which leads to a significant decrease in visual acuity up to complete blindness;
• retinal detachment.

According to statistics, destruction of the vitreous body is more often observed in economically developed countries of the world.

Forecast

The prognosis is generally favorable. Timely treatment can prevent or significantly slow down the progression of pathology and deterioration of visual function. Even with significant destruction of the vitreous body, surgical correction can significantly improve visual acuity, and therefore the quality of life of patients.

Prevention

Prevention of the development of vitreous destruction consists of the following measures:

• regular examinations by an ophthalmologist (visometry, ophthalmoscopy and tonometry);
• reduction of visual stress;
• optimization of work and rest schedules;
• regular exercises for the eyes;
• proper nutrition with sufficient plant foods in the diet and limiting fatty foods;
• correction of refractive errors;
• preventing eye injuries;
• timely treatment of inflammatory eye diseases;
• correction of blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:

Elena Minkina Anesthesiologist-reanimatologist About the author

Education: graduated from the Tashkent State Medical Institute with a degree in general medicine in 1991. Repeatedly took advanced training courses.

Work experience: anesthesiologist-resuscitator at a city maternity complex, resuscitator at the hemodialysis department.

The information is generalized and is provided for informational purposes. At the first signs of illness, consult a doctor. Self-medication is dangerous to health!

Source: https://www.neboleem.net/destrukcija-steklovidnogo-tela.php

Treatment methods for destruction of the vitreous body of the eye

The diagnosis “destruction of the vitreous body” combines various changes in the substance of this element of the eye. As a result of inflammation, damage and some diseases, the collagen in the vitreous body is destroyed, forming opacities. Destruction is accompanied by the appearance of flies in the field of view.

What is vitreous destruction

Destruction of the vitreous body is a process of disruption of the structure of the substance that fills the space between the retina and the lens. It is characterized by thickening of the thread-like elements, which leads to clouding, wrinkling or liquefaction of the vitreous.

In a healthy eye, the vitreous body has a transparent and thick consistency with many fibrils. The thread-like elements support the frame of the eye, but they are very thin. Destruction leads to thickening of these threads and clouding of the vitreous, which becomes visible when examining the eye. The person begins to see black dots in his field of vision.

Forms of destruction of the vitreous body:

1. Thread-like. This form is often diagnosed in older people, patients with atherosclerosis or progressive myopia. To detect filamentous destruction, the eyeball is examined using a slit lamp. It makes it possible to see damaged fibers and threads, as well as the empty space between them.
2. Grain-like. This form can only be diagnosed through biomicroscopy of the eye in the presence of different forms of microscopic particles. Granular destruction develops with inflammation of the inner layers of the retina.
3. Crystalline. A rare form of destruction is the accumulation of tyrosine, cholesterol and calcium in the vitreous body.

Destruction is increasingly being diagnosed in schoolchildren. Statistics show: every second schoolchild has one degree or another of destruction. Therefore, it is necessary to instill in your child a love of hygiene: both personal and visual hygiene. It is important to monitor the child's position, adjust the level of lighting and take breaks from work to give the eyes time to rest.

Causes of destruction

Destructions caused by changes in the physical and chemical properties of the colloidal gel develop with local inflammation, trauma, retinal detachment, and severe myopia. In myopia, deformation of the vitreous body is explained by a change in the shape of the eye.

Destruction can also be diagnosed in a healthy eye. For example, with metabolic disorders or sclerosis.

Destruction of the vitreous body is possible under strong mechanical stress: physical pressure provokes rupture of fibers and destruction of the collagen structure. Clots form from damaged fibers.

In some cases, hemorrhage begins in the vitreous body, which is accompanied by the appearance and spontaneous disappearance of floaters.

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Changes in the vitreous body can be observed when the functioning of the organs that are responsible for the composition of colloids and their mineral balance is disrupted. These are the liver, kidneys, and endocrine glands. Dysfunction of these organs leads to changes in the colloidal structure and the occurrence of characteristic phenomena (coagulation, precipitation).

In older people, the main cause of vitreous deformation is the aging process. In young patients, similar disorders are observed with intraocular circulatory disorders, neurocirculatory spasmodic muscle contractions, and heart pathologies. Sometimes the cause of vitreous deformation is the unnatural structure of the cervical and cephalic vessels.

Other causes of vitreous destruction:

• diabetes;
• deficiency of vitamins and minerals;
• pregnancy;
• excessive visual stress;
• Parkinson's disease;
• acute respiratory diseases.

Signs of vitreous deformation

Liquefaction of the vitreous body can be partial or complete. It is believed that strong liquefaction is observed in the central part of the vitreous body, and the periphery is less susceptible to deformation. Liquefaction begins with the formation of voids containing liquid and damaged fibers. The wrinkled fibers break off and float in the liquefied substance.

Along with liquefaction, strands and films can form. They can be thin and dense, floating or massive. Often, strands and films attach to the fundus of the eye and provoke new pathological changes.

Wrinkling is considered the most severe form of destruction. It can also be complete or partial. When wrinkled, the volume of the vitreous body decreases, the shape of the eye changes, and the vitreoretinal connections become tense, which leads to their ruptures and detachment. Tension of the vitreoretinal ligaments provokes photopsia, retinal tears, and hemorrhages.

A rare type of destruction is the deposition of cholesterol and tyrosine crystals. A large number of deposits appear in the liquefied vitreous body. In this case, biomicroscopy shows white balls up to 0.05 mm. When the eyeball moves, the crystals vibrate and shimmer.

Diagnosis of vitreous destruction

The main methods for diagnosing destruction of the vitreous body: biomicroscopy and ophthalmoscopy. You should not postpone a visit to an ophthalmologist if you have visual discomfort and spots in your field of vision.

Destruction of the vitreous body stands out among ophthalmological pathologies in that it is difficult to detect even at a late stage of development. In the diagnostic process, the doctor must focus not only on the research results, but also on the patient’s complaints and anamnesis. Differential diagnosis consists of ultrasound examination of the eye and optical coherence tomography.

Additional methods for diagnosing vitreous destruction:

• tonometry (measurement of intraocular pressure);
• visometry (determination of visual acuity).

If the symptom of floaters persists for a long time, you can immediately contact a retinologist. This is a highly specialized specialist who studies and treats fundus pathologies. A retinologist is not present in every city clinic, but the services of this specialist are provided by most laser vision correction clinics.

Conservative treatment of vitreous destruction

Destruction processes in the vitreous body are difficult to treat. Light opacities and stromal fibers may resolve spontaneously, but massive opacities, connective tissue fibers, and crystal deposits remain in the eye forever.

If the floater symptom is temporary, some improvement may be seen with non-drug treatment. You need to establish the right lifestyle, adhere to a daily routine, distribute work and rest time, and do eye massage.

Conservative treatment can reduce the symptoms of destruction, but cannot completely eliminate opacities. For destruction of the vitreous body, nonspecific, symptomatic and absorbable treatment methods are recommended. The patient is prescribed retinoprotectors and angioprotectors, and in severe cases, laser or surgical therapy is recommended.

Currently, there are few drugs that can remove or prevent the formation of new opacities in the vitreous body. Patients with destruction are prescribed local installations of potassium iodide and Taufon, orally absorbable drugs (Wobenzym, Traumeel S) and vascular nootropics. Emoxipin is administered parabulbarically.

The appearance of floating spots in the field of vision can cause depression, so some patients are recommended to consult a psychologist. As a person constantly tries to get rid of floaters, excessive stress is placed on the neck muscles. Self-massage should be performed regularly.

Visual gymnastics for destruction

A safe method of dealing with floaters is visual gymnastics. The methods of Bates, Zhdanov, and Norbekov are recognized as effective. Simple exercises will help remove floaters from your field of vision.

Exercises for destruction:

1. Palming. The exercise helps to relax the eyeball. A man sits down at a table and puts his elbows on the tabletop. You need to cover your eyes with your palms so that there is no penetration of light. It is advisable to relax for up to 15 minutes.
2. Shifting your gaze. You need to sharply shift your gaze from left to right and from top to bottom. However, before performing this exercise, you need to make sure that there is no retinal detachment.
3. Turns. You should slowly turn your gaze from left to right, stopping for a while at the tip of your nose.
4. Rotate your gaze clockwise. You need to change direction periodically.

When exercising, you need to monitor your breathing. This must be done slowly and evenly. When doing gymnastics every day, there is a possibility that the flies will shift to the periphery of the field of vision.

Traditional methods of treating destruction

Traditional medicine offers several methods for eliminating opacities in the vitreous body. It is possible to use warm compresses and honey solution, as well as carry out a special massage.

Compresses with chickweed are considered the most effective. The herb is crushed, placed in two linen or cotton bags and boiled for several minutes. After boiling, the compresses are cooled and applied for 15 minutes.

Honey is very popular in the treatment of ophthalmic diseases, but before using it you need to make sure that you are not allergic. To prepare a honey solution, add a teaspoon of honey to two tablespoons of water. It is important to use only natural raw materials.

It is possible to use drops with honey and aloe. You need to mix a teaspoon of honey and four tablespoons of aloe juice. The mixture is left for two hours in a dark place. The product is instilled three times a day, 3 drops.

Additionally, you can massage the eyeballs. This will improve intraocular blood circulation and reduce the symptoms of destruction. You can press on your eyes with your palms, wipe with your fists, massage your forehead, brow ridges and the edges of your eye sockets.

Surgical treatment of vitreous destruction

In some cases of complex destruction, vitreolysis or vitrectomy is performed. Laser and surgical methods for treating destruction are controversial because they are dangerous for serious complications (retinal detachment, hemorrhages, cataracts).

Vitreolysis or laser destruction therapy

Laser treatment of vitreous destruction is associated with a risk of complications. Therefore, such treatment is carried out only in cases of rapid decline in vision or an increased risk of the formation of vitreoretinal tractions.

Vitreolysis involves the use of a YAG laser. You need to undergo up to 4 procedures, each of which includes 200-600 laser flashes.

The vitreolysis technique is more difficult than other procedures that use a similar laser, since the ophthalmic surgeon has to work with moving objects. The operation is performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. A Goldmann lens is placed on the eye, which focuses the laser beam. The operation does not require cutting tissue and does not cause bleeding.

Complications of vitreolysis:

• increased intraocular pressure;
• retinal disinsertion;
• cataract;
• choroidal microhemorrhages.

Contraindications to the method include opacification of the media through which the beam passes (lens, cornea, anterior chamber moisture), neovascularization, retinal or choroidal detachment, as well as displacement of the lens into the vitreous body. The operation is not performed if there is an increased risk of hemorrhage.

Vitrectomy or vitreous replacement

Vitrectomy is a last resort in the treatment of destruction, since this operation involves removing the vitreous completely. The indication for surgical intervention is extensive fiber opacification, which greatly reduces visual acuity.

Vitrectomy is performed only under general anesthesia. The operation takes 30-90 minutes. After removing the deformed vitreous body, the ophthalmic surgeon injects a similar substance (silicone oil, saline solution, artificial polymer, gas bubble). Vision is restored only a few days after the intervention.

Removing the vitreous is a complex operation that is performed only as a last resort. Vitrectomy is not prescribed to elderly patients, since the aging process will continue to affect the condition of the blood vessels.

Complications of vitrectomy:

• cataract;
• endophthalmitis;
• retinal disinsertion;
• hemorrhage;
• corneal edema.

Danger of destruction and prognosis

The prognosis for destructive lesions of the vitreous body largely depends on the timeliness of diagnosis and the effectiveness of treatment. This pathology requires the intervention of a qualified and experienced ophthalmologist, so you need to pay attention to the level of professionalism of the staff and the equipment of the clinic when choosing a medical institution.

If vision changes are minor, the prognosis is favorable. As a rule, floating elements stabilize, but remissions are rare. The main danger of destruction is visual impairment, which leads to detachment and wrinkling of the vitreous body.

A rare but severe complication of destruction is damage by tapeworm larvae, which enter the visual system through the blood circulation. When affected by parasites, a person requires urgent surgical treatment, since visual acuity quickly decreases.

Prevention of vitreous deformation

Specific measures to prevent destruction have not been developed. The main measure to prevent any ophthalmological diseases is regular visits to the doctor and examination.

To avoid destruction of the vitreous body, you need to periodically give your eyes rest. Prolonged visual stress is fraught not only with pathologies of the vitreous body, but also with diseases of the cornea, lens and retina. Every 40 minutes of increased visual stress, you need to rest for 10 minutes.

It is important to limit the amount of refined foods and alcoholic beverages in your diet. These products negatively affect the condition of the blood vessels of the eye. In particular, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the organs that are responsible for the formation and functionality of collagen. Since one of the causes of vitreous deformation is trauma, it is necessary to protect the head and eyes from damage.

Source: https://BeregiZrenie.ru/rogovitsa-setchatka/destrukciya-steklovidnogo-tela/

Destruction of the vitreous body

Destruction of the vitreous body is an ophthalmological disease that is characterized by severe clouding of the fibers located in the vitreous body of the eye.

The vitreous body is normally a transparent formation that fills the inside of the eyeball. During destruction, the formation loses its transparency, inclusions of various shapes appear in it - dots, grains or threads.

Destruction of the vitreous body is a fairly common disease. In most cases, it occurs in patients in adulthood and old age (after 40–45 years), but recent statistics indicate that the incidence of pathology at a younger age is increasing.

Types of vitreous destruction

Depending on the cause, the disease is divided into types:

• thread-like – occurs due to atherosclerosis, severe myopia;
• granular - provoked by inflammation of the retina;
• crystalline - formed due to metabolic disorders of tyrosine and cholesterol.

Causes of vitreous destruction include:

1. inflammatory processes in the structures of the eye (blepharitis, dacryocystitis, endophthalmitis, keratitis);
2. pathologies of the endocrine system;
3. liver and kidney diseases;
4. vascular diseases of the retina and brain, leading to insufficient blood supply to the vitreous;
5. high degree of myopia (myopia), which is accompanied by deformation of the eyeball and metabolic disorders in local formations;
6. eye injuries accompanied by bleeding;
7. iatrogenic factors - incorrect actions of doctors during lens surgery, trauma to the vitreous body;
8. diabetes mellitus of the decompensated type, which is accompanied by damage to blood vessels and malnutrition of the vitreous body.

The vitreous body consists of collagen and hyaluronic acid. Normally, it has a strong frame filled with a gel-like substance. Under the influence of pathogenic factors, this substance is destroyed, causing the formation to become cloudy, losing optical transparency.

Stages

Depending on the volume of damage to the vitreous body, the following stages of destruction are distinguished:

1. Partial - pathological changes are localized in the center of the formation, a small cavity is formed here, filled with destroyed collagen.
2. Complete - the cavity extends to the entire volume from the lens to the retina.

With complete destruction, pronounced threads and cords are formed inside the vitreous body, which grow outward. When fused with the retina, they can cause its detachment and deformation of the eyeball.

The initial clinical manifestations of the disease are represented by visual effects. This symptom is called photopsia. Patients complain of the appearance of spots, spots and cloudiness before the eyes.

Photopsia during destruction has several characteristic features:

1. Optical changes when looking at well-lit objects. This is noticeable when a person looks at white surfaces in daylight.
2. The changes usually disappear when the gaze is clearly focused on an object.
3. Optical effects are permanently preserved, their size and shape do not change over time.

Gradually, the symptoms of vitreous destruction progress. As the volume of destruction increases, the number of photopsies increases, and individual elements merge with each other.

In some diseases (for example, hypertension and atherosclerosis), dense cords form in the vitreous cavity, which the patient sees as lines before the eyes.

Over time, they stick together, forming irregular balls.

Granular destruction does not lead to the formation of large formations. Optical effects in this type of disease are represented by many small dots that are scattered over the entire area of ​​the visual fields.

With a long course of the disease, the visual effects are accompanied by late symptoms of destruction of the vitreous body. These include, first of all, a decrease in visual acuity.

It develops gradually, at first a person may not notice the changes, but over time they progress faster and faster.

In the absence of specialized treatment, visual acuity can sharply decrease, up to complete blindness.

The vitreous body is normally a transparent formation that fills the inside of the eyeball. During destruction, the formation loses its transparency, inclusions of various shapes appear in it - dots, grains or threads.

Another late symptom of the disease is hemophthalmos - bleeding in the thickness of the eyeball. It occurs due to a violation of the integrity of the vessels that are located in the fundus of the eye. This condition poses a great risk to the patient and requires emergency medical intervention.

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Diagnostics

Diagnosis of vitreous destruction is carried out using instrumental methods for identifying ophthalmological diseases. These include:

1. Ophthalmoscopy. With the help of the study, it is possible to identify the presence of empty cavities in the thickness of the vitreous body, which externally appear as narrow vertical slits. In the area of ​​the limiting membrane of the eye, upon examination, grayish fibrous formations of a dense structure can be detected. If the patient has complete destruction, then the vitreous body does not maintain an ordered structure; ophthalmoscopy reveals only a cavity filled with fragments of collagen and colloidal substance.
2. Biomicroscopic examination using a slit lamp. The diagnostic capabilities of the technique make it possible to identify changes in the structure of the colloidal gel and detect pronounced opacities, spots and grains of pathological formations. When examined, filamentous destruction looks like several dense strands twisted into loops. In the granular form of the disease, a large number of small grains are detected, usually gray or brown. With a long course of pathology, these particles stick together, forming larger opacities in the vitreous cavity.
3. Ultrasound examination in B-scan mode. With an ultrasound of the eyeball, you can see crystals in the colloidal gel, which should not normally be present. The study allows you to assess the condition of the eye over time. Thanks to this, the density of the colloid inside the vitreous can be assessed by the movements of pathological formations. Ultrasound imaging also allows you to determine the presence of hemorrhages and determine which vessel is damaged.
4. Coherence tomography. It is an additional method for diagnosing the disease; it is used in severe diagnostic cases when other methods are not sufficiently informative. Using optical tomography, it is possible to identify the heterogeneity of the colloidal gel inside the vitreous body and determine the presence of opacities. The study visualizes all formations layer by layer, which makes it possible to detect changes in the shape and size of the eyeball. Deformation indicates advanced destruction.
5. Coherence tomography has limitations in its use. It cannot be used in the presence of massive hemorrhage in the cavity of the eyeball. Therefore, before conducting the study, it is necessary to perform an ophthalmoscopy to assess the condition of the fundus. Visometry. The research takes place using specialized tables. The method is used to promptly detect a decrease in visual acuity.
6. Tonometry. The method is used to measure intraocular pressure. An increased indicator indirectly indicates destruction.

When examining a patient, a differential diagnosis of destruction is carried out with other ophthalmological pathologies, which are characterized by clouding of the refractive media of the eye. These include diseases of the cornea (keratitis), as well as cataracts.

Treatment

Specific treatment for vitreous destruction has not yet been developed. The decision on the scope of treatment for each patient is made individually. It depends on how pronounced the decrease in visual acuity is and what the extent of the destruction is.

With complete destruction, pronounced threads and cords are formed inside the vitreous body, which grow outward. When fused with the retina, they can cause its detachment and deformation of the eyeball.

At the initial stages of the disease, treatment involves normalizing the patient’s lifestyle and drug therapy. Necessary activities:

1. Reduced visual load.
2. Carrying out exercises for the eyes.
3. Observe regular breaks in work associated with increased visual stress.
4. Proper nutrition.
5. Regular moderate physical activity.
6. Maintaining a sleep schedule.

Drug treatment of vitreous destruction is aimed at improving blood supply to the eyeball. The patient is prescribed the following groups of medications:

1. Absorbable drugs;
2. Angioprotectors;
3. Antioxidants;
4. Means that normalize blood circulation in the brain.

In especially severe cases, complete removal of the vitreous body is performed - vitrectomy. The method involves microsurgical intervention, during which the formation is divided into small pieces and removed from the eye cavity. A saline solution, gas or silicone oil is injected into the site of the removed body. This is necessary to restore normal intraocular pressure.

Complications

One of the complications of the disease is deformation of the eyeball, which is accompanied by a decrease in visual acuity. Advanced destruction of the vitreous body can lead to complete blindness of the patient.

Another serious consequence of the disease is retinal detachment. Strands of collagen fibers can grow to the visual layer, as a result of which, when the shape of the eyeball changes, it can be displaced.

Forecast

The prognosis for most patients is favorable if treatment is started early. In the initial stages, the progression of the pathology can be stopped thanks to conservative therapy. Small cavities in the vitreous may disappear completely.

With advanced disease, a decrease in visual acuity is observed. This condition requires surgical correction. After its implementation, visual function is restored.

Preventive measures

To prevent the disease, a number of recommendations should be followed:

1. Reduce visual stress;
2. Carry out eye exercises regularly;
3. Eat properly;
4. Treat inflammatory diseases of the eyeball in a timely manner, avoid injuring it;
5. Choose the right means for vision correction;
6. Regularly undergo preventive examinations with an ophthalmologist.

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Source: https://zdorovi.net/bolezni/destrukcija-steklovidnogo-tela.html

Destruction of the vitreous body of the eye

The main reasons for the development of destructive processes in the vitreous body of the eyes are ophthalmological diseases, diseases of the circulatory system and natural physiological changes that occur in the body over time. Treatment of the disease is aimed at eliminating the symptoms accompanying destructive phenomena or removing inclusions through surgery.

The presence of destruction of the vitreous body does not affect the quality of life and the level of a person’s ability to work. In advanced cases, partial or complete loss of vision is possible, but most often the prognosis of the disease is favorable.

The vitreous body is presented in the form of an avascular transparent gelatinous substance that fills the cavity of the eyeball between the lens and the retina. Its presence ensures the preservation of turgor and the correct shape of the eyeball, compensates for changes in intraocular pressure, and carries out light impulses to the retina.

Destruction of the vitreous body occurs as a result of thickening of some fibers and loss of their transparency, which leads to a change in its mesh structure. Destructive processes manifest themselves in the form of liquefaction of the vitreous body, its wrinkling and peeling.

Liquefaction can be complete or partial. In most cases, this pathology is observed in the central part of the eyeball, much less often - along its periphery.

At the initial stage, cavities are formed in the vitreous body, which are filled with fragments of fibers, liquid, and the final products of gel coagulation.

The gelatinous substance is divided into thick and liquid fractions due to the breakdown of the collagen-hyaluronic acid complex.

The vitreous body loses its homogeneity: fibers stick together, and weaves of various shapes are formed, which float freely in the liquefied gelatinous substance (filamentous, or filamentous, destruction of the vitreous body).

Simultaneously with liquefaction, strands and films can form in the vitreous body of the eye, which vary in size and density.

In some cases, these formations are fixed to the fundus of the eye, which leads to serious pathological changes.

Vitreous opacities

Wrinkling of the entire vitreous body or part of it is the most severe form of destruction of the vitreous body. As a result of this process, there is a decrease in volume and a change in the shape of the gelatinous substance, and tension in the vitreoretinal connections is observed.

With a severe degree of the disease, these connections can rupture, which can result in hemorrhage into the vitreous body, its detachment, or retinal rupture. Photopsia phenomena are often observed.

Ultimately, complete destruction of the vitreous body may occur.

In addition to the “floaters” characteristic of the destruction of the vitreous body of the eye, “lightning” or “flashes” appear in the field of vision, which indicates the presence of “optical cavities” in the eyeball. Thus, the brain perceives an abnormal response of the optic nerve to the presence of voids. Cloudy particles are difficult to see because they follow your eye movements.

Opacities are best seen when looking at a clean, bright surface (clear sky, white ceiling, snow), when squinting your eyes, or in coherent rays. In conditions of low lighting of the environment, as well as when it is heterogeneous, opacities, as a rule, are not visible.

Destruction of the vitreous body can manifest itself in the form of golden or silver rain. This phenomenon is observed in the presence of crystalline inclusions of tyrosine, cholesterol, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium compounds. It is typical for older people suffering from cholesterol metabolism disorders, as well as diabetes mellitus.

Destruction of the vitreous body of the eye most often occurs due to various physiological and pathological reasons:

• age-related changes in the structure of the eyeball;
• the presence of chronic inflammatory processes in the eye;
• diabetes;
• diseases of the circulatory system (atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension, dystrophic changes in blood vessels);
• severe myopia;
• dystrophy;
• compression of arterial vessels in the presence of cervical atherosclerosis;
• hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy, menopause, puberty, and when hormonal therapy is prescribed;
• injuries to the eyes, nose, head (including surgery);
• helminth infestation (toxoplasmosis);
• frequent and prolonged visual stress;
• psycho-emotional stress, depression;
• physical exhaustion;
• some diseases of internal organs;
• deficiency of vitamins, macro- and microelements;
• toxic or radiation effects on the body.

The cause of destruction of the vitreous body of the eye can be a disruption of the internal organs that regulate the composition and balance of colloids of the vitreous body (endocrine glands, kidneys, liver).

This provokes changes in the structure of the colloidal gel (coagulation and precipitation processes).

In addition, the occurrence of “flying spots” may indicate the beginning of the process of retinal detachment, which can ultimately lead to complete loss of vision.

The main symptomatic sign of the presence of destruction of the vitreous body is the floating of various visual effects before the eyes - “spots”, “floaters”, “cobwebs”, “opacity”. These optical elements differ from the effects that occur as a result of blows to the head, sudden jumps in blood pressure, or when lifting heavy objects.

Symptoms of vitreous destruction:

• the presence of “floaters” and opacities is permanent;
• visual phenomena have a constant shape and size;
• the effects are noticeable only in good lighting conditions (especially on a white surface).

The more clearly the floating elements are visible and the thicker they are, the greater the destruction of the vitreous body. If the opacities acquire a clear filamentous structure, a person may be diagnosed with atherosclerosis or a severe form of hypertension. The presence of “flashes” and “lightning” is a sign of vitreous detachment or other serious complications.

With filamentous destruction of the vitreous body, disorganized floating of fibrils is dispersed throughout the entire volume of the eyeball, while they twist and stick together, forming into formations resembling balls of yarn.

As a result of eye injury, previous illness, or in the presence of tumor-like formations, destruction of the vitreous body manifests itself in the form of small accumulations of small grains. In the absence of timely treatment, complete or partial loss of vision cannot be ruled out.

The following methods are used to diagnose the disease:

• ophthalmoscopy (examination of the fundus of the eye);
• visual acuity test;
• ophthalmological examination using a slit lamp;
• compiling an anamnesis.

The data obtained during the examination allows us to conclude about the presence or absence of destructive processes in the vitreous body of the eyeball.

Treatment of destruction of the vitreous body of the eye is ineffective in most cases. Sometimes minor opacities and small fibers can resolve on their own, but large formations, crystal deposits and fragments of connective tissue fibers remain for the rest of life.

Questions about how to treat destruction of the vitreous body of the eye and whether it needs to be done are decided in each case individually. The need and effectiveness of therapy depends on the presence or absence of optical effects, visual impairment, the area of ​​damage to the vitreous, as well as the influence of these pathological factors on the person’s condition and his ability to work.

For destruction of the vitreous body, the following medications are prescribed:

• products with absorbable properties (2% or 3% solution of potassium iodide - local installations, Wobenzym or Traumeel C - orally);
• emoxipine is an antioxidant drug that normalizes microcirculation in the tissues of the eyes (administered parabulbarly);
• Cavinton, cinnarizine - to improve vascular permeability and normalize blood circulation in the brain.

In some cases, the disease is treated through surgery:

• vitreolysis – splitting of opacities existing in the vitreous body using a YAG laser;
• vitrectomy – partial or complete replacement of the vitreous body with an artificial medium (silicone oil, gas bubbles, saline solution).

The use of surgery as a method of treating vitreous destruction has an ambiguous prognosis, since there is a high risk of serious complications (cataracts, hypotension, retinal detachment, hemorrhages). Often the use of such methods is unjustified, especially for older people, since due to progressive age-related changes, vascular problems worsen over time.

There are ways to treat destruction of the vitreous body of the eye using folk remedies. It is recommended to massage the eyeballs, which improves the flow of lymph and blood in the eye tissues.

Drops can be instilled into the eyes for destruction of the vitreous:

• honey (honey and water are used for preparation in a ratio of 2:1);
• honey-aloe;
• propolis (in the form of an aqueous solution).

However, independent treatment of vitreous destruction with folk remedies should be carried out under strict medical supervision in order to avoid harm to the body.

It is worth noting that if the vitreous body is destroyed, you can play sports, but preference is better given to activities that do not require significant physical activity and stress.

The prognosis for the development of the disease is favorable in most cases. Opacities stabilize relatively quickly after the onset and development of the disease. The occurrence of remissions during destructive processes is extremely rare, and floating opacities in terminal form remain in the cavity of the eyeball.

Destruction of the vitreous body of the eye, manifested in a mild form, does not have a noticeable effect on a person’s ability to work and does not cause serious complications.

The development of severe forms of the disease can significantly worsen the patient’s quality of life.

The constant movement of floating elements obstructs the viewing of various objects and interferes with the performance of work duties.

Due to constant visual strain in the process of viewing the environment, there is a need to clear the field of vision from existing blurring using eye and head movements. This behavior leads to constant overload of the eyes and cervical spine.

As a result, a person may develop serious psychological problems and develop persistent stress or depressive conditions, which manifest themselves in the form of constant anxiety and sociopathy. However, this is not the only danger of destruction of the vitreous body of the eye.

In advanced cases, there is a high probability of developing blindness.

It is recommended to protect the eyes from prolonged visual stress, carry out vision correction procedures in case of vision deterioration, and promptly treat ophthalmological diseases and diseases of internal organs.

Source: https://liqmed.ru/disease/destrukciya-steklovidnogo-tela/