Posterior Vitreous Detachment

The symptoms of PVD include flashes and floaters that usually last one to three months. In the majority of patients, the presence of flashers and floaters subsides within three months of the onset of PVD. Flashes and seen if there are strands of light that may be seen when looking at an object. Floaters are present if there are dots that are seen when looking at an object. PVD does not normally affect vision. However, in severe cases, there may be a risk of retinal tears, vitreous hemorrhage, or retinal detachment, which may contribute to vision loss.

In most cases of PVD, patients do not require treatment. Severe cases of PVD may require laser cryopexy (freezing the damaged portions of the retina) or surgery (lasering the damaged portions of the retina) to correct retinal tears or retinal detachments. Therefore, it is important to routinely receive eye checkups when symptoms of PVD first begin.

Typically Posterior Vitreous detachment will not lead to long-term effects, and the eye adjusts to the changes overtime. There is no official treatment for posterior vitreous detachment unless a retina tear occurs.