Pathological conditions of the vitreous body in children after eye injuries]

The material consists of 142 eyes in 138 children aged 2-17 years who sustained contusions and perforating injuries. Pathological changes of the vitreous have been observed in 75 p.c. of cases: haemorrhages, opacities, destructive and fibrous changes and even a total fibrosis of the vitreous with shortening of the anatomical axis of the eye. Vitrectomy was performed in 23 cases with extraction of the foreign body in 11. In eyes with a destruction of the vitreous and with vitreoretinal proliferation a laser photocoagulation of the retina or transscleral cryopexy was performed. It is considered that the prophylactical treatment is indicated in all eyes exhibiting structural changes in the vitreous.