1. Historical introduction.- 2. Embryology of the vitreous. Congenital and developmental anomalies.- 3. Structure, function, and age-related changes of the human vitreous.- 4. Biochemistry of the vitreous.- 5. Clinical methods of vitreous examination.- 6. Vitreous changes in retinal detachment.- 7. Vitreous changes in ocular inflammation.- 8. Degenerative conditions of the vitreous.- 9. Vitreous changes in vascular diseases.- 10. Vitreous changes and macular disease.- 11. Vitreous changes in retinopathy of prematurity.- 12. The vitreous in ocular trauma.- 13. Effect of aphakia upon the vitreous.- 14. Vitreous degeneration in myopia and retinitis pigmentosa.- 15. The vitreous in idiopathic giant retinal breaks.- 16. Hereditary vitreoretinal diseases.- 17. Vitreous substitutes and vitreous surgery.- 18. The vitreous: birds' eye view.