Depiction of the vitreous pocket by optical coherence tomography

Abstract

The reported shape and size of the vitreous pocket vary depending on the method of visualization. We used spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to clarify the structure of the normal vitreous pocket. The macular retina of 20 consecutive non-highly myopic eyes of 10 healthy young adults (aged 22−27 years) was examined using spectral SD-OCT. The premacular vitreous pocket and the pre-papillary Cloquet’s canal were observed in a scan area 9 mm in transverse diameter and 6 mm in longitudinal diameter. On SD-OCT, the vitreous pocket was observed in all the eyes, anterior to the macula as a flat dish-like structure measuring 7.5 ± 0.6 mm in transverse diameter, 5.2 ± 0.3 mm in longitudinal diameter, and 0.3 ± 0.5 mm in thickness. The boundary of the vitreous pocket was clear, the central portion was thin, and the peripheral portion protruded anteriorly. The posterior wall of the vitreous pocket which can be observed at the macular region was a thin layer of vitreous cortex. Mildly reflective dots were observed inside the vitreous pocket. A thin wall was observed between the vitreous pocket and the pre-papillary Cloquet’s canal. On SD-OCT, the vitreous pocket of healthy young adults was visualized as a liquefied lacuna with a clear boundary measuring approximately 7.5 × 5.2 × 0.3 mm, with the posterior wall composed of a layer of vitreous cortex and separated from the pre-papillary Cloquet’s canal by a thin wall.