Development and developmental disorders of vitreous

Abstract

Vitreous is a highly hydrated, avascular extracellular matrix located between the lens and retina that serves a variety of structural and physiological functions [1, 2]. Formation of the vitreous is a complex process that has been studied for over a century and still is not clearly understood. Two overlapping developmental phases have been described, the primary and secondary vitreous then followed by formation of the lens zonules previously referred to as tertiary vitreous [3], all closely tied to development of the retina, lens, and retinal vasculature. For this reason, errors in ocular development are often associated with severe congenital disorders that are reflected in the vitreous. In this chapter we provide a brief overview of the embryology of the eye and explore in detail vitreous development and its anomalies.