[Inner retinal traction breaks resembling a sharkmouth in areas of peripheral cystoid degeneration (author's transl)].

10 predominantly diabetic eyes from a mixed collection of 1,561 enucleated specimens showed extended, linear, ridgelike elevations of the inner retinal layers within areas of cystoid degeneration. These ridges lie peripherally and run parallel to the ora. The posterior slope of each ridge contains a chain of inner retinal holes which extend into the cavities of the cystoid degeneration. The changes, viewed from behind, resemble an open sharkmouth. The posterior border of the vitreous base adheres to the crest of the ridge behind which the vitreous itself is detached. The ridges and inner holes are thought to result from vitreous traction, chronic rather than acute, acting on peripheral areas of cystoid degeneration which can presumably be elevated more easily than normal retina.