Vitreoretinal degeneration as a sign of generalized connective tissue diseases

Abstract

Dominant vitreoretinal degeneration was first described by Wagner as a benign ocular condition. This term has since become widely associated with a familial retinal degenerative process accompanied by retinal detachments, even though nobody in the family described by Wagner suffered from a retinal detachment. Vitreoretinal degeneration, often progressing to detachments, occurs also in several distinct bone dysplasias. I have provided a classification of syndromes with vitreoretinal degeneration and its signficance as a sign of connective tissue diseases (probably involving type II collagen). In this sense, it is similar to ectopia lentis as a sign of various connective tissue diseases.