Is your vitreous really necessary?

Abstract

Some 25 years ago, I published a paper entitled rather flippantly Is Your Vitreous Really Necessary? [1], in which I attempted to identify features of the vitreous body that might have an important role in the eye. I came to the conclusion that although the rather complex structure of the vitreous body had a number of identifiable and important roles, vitreous was present mainly as an insurance, not really being needed except in exceptional circumstances. On reflection, this was too simplistic a conclusion. On the other hand, one might be excused for thinking that the vitreous serves no useful purpose, for its removal by vitrectomy is now commonplace and the eye seems to get along well without it.