Chronic glaucoma and symptomatic vitreous detachment.

Already existing data derived from two population surveys and the clinical records of a few 'ordinary' glaucoma patients in one and the same district were explored. Previous reports of a high prevalence of disc haemorrhage in chronic glaucoma were confirmed. The hypothesis that evident prepapillary vitreous opacities are more frequent in persons with glaucoma than in other persons was supported. Symptomatic vitreous detachment was the original reason for encounter in 5 out of 12 'selfselected' patients with chronic glaucoma. If a disc haemorrhage is found in a patient with a symptomatic vitreous detachment, early chronic glaucoma should be seriously considered even if there are no other glaucomatous signs.