rancol,

What you say is interesting but I really wonder how the very small layer left on the retina can really make a big difference in cataract development? They say the vitreous is there to prevent the oxygen from going from the retina in the posterior section of the eye toward the lens in the anterior section of the eye. When the vitreous is full, then I can understand that since it's a BIG barrier but when it's only a small layer I fail to see how good the barrier can be?

Two things on this though:

1) A lot of people has vitreous degeneration and I think most people get cataracts in their 60's+ when you don't get the vitrectomy (my mother and brother have floaters and my mother just started seeing bad at about 65 and she's now 74 and finally convinced someone to remove her "too small to operate on" cataracts as most doctors said to her. I printed pictures of how she was seeing so she could show them to the doctor and they agreed to operate right away after that. She's pretty happy about that. My brother is 52 and still no cataracts).

2) The small layer of vitreous left near the lens should be enough to protect the lens if the small layer near the retina is deemed enough to protect the same lens? Maybe the small layer near the retina prevents the oxygen from going in the eye at all whereas when it's only left near the lens then the oxygen goes freely everywhere in the eye and since it's already so close to the lens and concentrated in the aqueous fluid then it creates cataracts faster?

This is all suppositions, I am no doctor but I think the doctors don't really know for sure about the reason of cataracts. The oxygen going from the retina towards the lens is the main explication they have right now.

Take care all and merry christmas even with these damn floaters.