Significance of pigment granules in the vitreous.

The presence of pigment granules in the anterior vitreous, in the absence of previous ocular surgery, is almost pathognomonic of a retinal break (Shafer, I 965). To investigate the accuracy of this observation, a consecutive series of patients with retinal holes were examined. Method All patients presenting to us over an i8-month period at Moorfields Eye Hospital with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment or flat retinal holes were examined by slit-beam biomicroscopy, using the Haag-Streit slit lamp. The presence or absence of pigment granules was noted in each eye. Patients wvho had had previous ocular surgery were excluded. Results 43 eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and twenty eyes with flat retinal holes were examined. Table I shows the results in the patients presenting with retinal detachment. Table II shows the results in the patients presenting with flat holes. Therefore, in the 63 eyes showing retinal holes, 52 had pigment granules, giving a false negative result of I7 per cent. Of the 49 eyes showing no retinal holes, none showed pigment cells, giving a false positive result of nil.