title: ASSOCIATION OF PREVASCULAR VITREOUS FISSURES AND CISTERNS WITH VITREOUS DEGENERATION AS ASSESSED BY SWEPT SOURCE OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the presence of prevascular vitreous fissures (PVF) and posterior vitreous cisterns in vivo and correlate with the degree of vitreous degeneration (VD).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study using Topcon Deep Range Imaging OCT-1 Atlantis 3D swept source optical coherence tomography for acquiring scans of posterior vitreous covering an 18 × 18-mm area in 104 eyes of 52 healthy volunteers without posterior vitreous detachment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed that increasing age was associated with higher VD grades (P < 0.05). Prevascular vitreous fissures, characterized by areas of lower optical density overlying the retinal blood vessels, were identified in 93 (89%) eyes, and the presence of PVF correlated with lower VD grades (P < 0.05). Presence of cisterns correlated with higher VD grades (P < 0.05). All eyes with absence of PVF were found to have established cisterns. Prevascular vitreous fissures were connected with cisterns in 44 of the 71 (62%) eyes with cisterns, while the base of the cistern was directly above retinal blood vessels in 38 (54%) eyes, which suggests that the cisterns could be derived from PVF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Swept source optical coherence tomography imaging can identify PVF and cisterns occurring in the context of age-related VD, and PVF appeared to be possible precursors of cisterns.
authors: *Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York, New York, New York; †LuEsther T. Mertz Retinal Research Center, Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, New York, New York; and ‡Department of Ophthalmology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
authors: Claudine E
authors: CE
authors: Pang
authors: Karen B
authors: KB
authors: Schaal
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Engelbert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult