The vitreous chamber is the largest compartment of the eye, occupying the space posterior to the lens and ciliary body and extending to the retina. It contains the vitreous humour, a gel-like substance composed of water, hyaluronic acid, and collagen fibrils. The vitreous is attached to the retina at the vitreous base (anterior to the equator), the optic disc, and the macula.
The vitreous chamber is the surgical space for vitreoretinal procedures: pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) enters the vitreous through the pars plana, removes the vitreous, and allows direct retinal surgery for retinal detachment repair, macular hole closure, epiretinal membrane peeling, and diabetic traction membrane dissection. Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) from the retina causes floaters and photopsia; if the vitreous tears a retinal vessel at detachment, vitreous haemorrhage fills the chamber. Endophthalmitis from post-surgical or post-traumatic infection involves the vitreous and requires vitrectomy and intravitreal antibiotics.
Posterior vitreous detachment tearing a retinal vessel or proliferative diabetic retinopathy produces vitreous haemorrhage filling the vitreous chamber, causing sudden painless visual loss from blood obscuring light transmission; ultrasound confirms the haemorrhage and excludes retinal detachment when the fundus is not visible, with vitrectomy indicated for non-clearing haemorrhage or associated traction detachment.
