The Peripheral Eyeground in Chronic Respiratory Disease

Complete eye examination, including indirect ophthalmoscopy and scleral depression was performed in 71 patients, 40 years and over, with chronic pulmonary disease of varying etiology. Seventeen percent of these subjects had one or more retinal breaks. Among 106 subjects used as controls 10% had one or more retinal breaks. The first second vital capacity (FSVC) was measured in 204 patients with retinal detachment and it was not significantly lower than expected. However, an FSVC of less than 70% was seen in 44% of the patients with retinal detachment and lattice degeneration of the retina but only in 33% of patients with retinal detachment but without lattice degeneration.