Ocular findings in 123 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

The changes in the posterior segment of the eye observed in 123 diabetic patients with proliferative retinopathy are described. In this series, background retinopathy was a frequent occurrence, but it was less pronounced in eyes with severe proliferative retinopathy. All degrees of proliferative retinopathy were encountered; proliferations consisting of naked vessels were observed in 78 eyes, while connective tissue formations were also present in 109 eyes. Posterior vitreous detachment was seen in 105 eyes, and retinal detachment in 52 Vitreous detachment was rare in eyes with vascular proliferations alone, but frequent in eyes with connective tissue formations. Retrovitreal hemorrhages were common, and it is not unlikely that traction by the vitreous on the delicate proliferative vessels is conducive to such hemorrhages.