Diseases of the vitreo-macular interface (essentials in ophthalmology series) Girach A and de Smet MD 2014, ISBN 978-3642-4003-39 Springer

Excerpt

This is the first book on the vitreo-macular interface and its disorders. This subject has become very prominent for vitreoretinal surgeons with the development of optical coherence tomography (OCT) over the last 20 years, which has allowed two and three dimensional (2D and 3D) imaging of the vitreoretinal interface as well as other retinal layers, and demonstrating the associated pathologies. Previously, the interface could only be assessed by clinical observation, color fundus, fluorescein angiography and ultrasound imaging all with limited resolution. Vitreo-macular diseases include a variety of disorders that cause abnormal adherence between the peripheral vitreous and the macula (vitreomacular adhesions and traction), the peripheral vitreous and other parts of the retina (vitreo-retinal adhesions and traction) and optic disc (papillo-vitreal adhesions and traction), and between the optic disc and the macula (papillo-macular adhesions and traction). All of these conditions may cause traction detachment, cystoid macular edema and/ or retinal holes and pseudoholes. They are all caused by pathologic membranes and, until now, have been addressed only in book chapters. The publication of this book indicates that this subject is wide enough for such a publication and indeed up to 30 % of eyes with ischemic retinal disorders such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions and age-related macular degeneration may have such vitreomacular adhesions and traction (VMAs and VMT). …