I. Introduction
Retinal surgeons and basic scientists throughout the world have greatly improved the understanding of vitreous physiology since Norman Cutler1 in 1946 and Fritz2 in 1947 revived the 1890 work of Ford in surgical manipulation of the vitreous. Shafer3 in this country has pioneered the clinical implantation of stored vitreous as a promising adjunct to retinal detachment repair. Paufique and Moreau4 of France have similarly reported encouraging clinical trials in the use of lyophilized vitreous, as has Harry King5 in the United States. Alberth and Darabos6 have demonstrated tolerance to implanted lyophilized vitreous in a small series of rabbit eyes. Squire and McEwen7 have extended this rabbit work to hematogenous opacities in the vitreous and apparently defined the iron molecule as the agent responsible for vitreous liqui faction. Physiologic studies8 by Schepens' group have emphasized the similarity between vitreous and the