Ultrasonic findings in the vitreous space in patients with detachment of the retina.

Ultrasonic observations were made of the vitreous body and the subretinal space of the sick eye and of the vitreous body of the other eye on 32 unselected subjects with idiopathic detachment of the retina. In almost all sick eyes a severe state of degeneration of the vitreous body was observed, and in all cases examined the subretinal space was acoustically heterogeneous. In the other eye degeneration of the vitreous body was often observed, although to a lesser degree than in the eye with retinal detachment. The ultrasonic examination of the vitreous body may yield information as to the disposition of the eye with regard to detachment of the retina.