Objective To determine the effect of posterior vitreous detachment on the prognosis of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Methods One hundred and sixteen patients (116 eyes) with BRVO who underwent vitreous examination were retrospectively studied.The relati onship of vitreous conditions to posterior segment neovascularization and macular edema was statistically investigated. Results In 40 ischemic cases,12 of 25 eyes (48.0%) with no posterior vitreous detachme nt (PVD) or partial PVD developed retinal or optic disc neovascularization ,or both,but only one of the 15 eyes (6.7%) with complete PVD developed neovasculariz ation during a mean follow-up period of 10.7plusmn;2.2 months (Plt;0.05) . Diffuse macular edema was found in 45 eyes (38.8%).The incidence o f macular edema was significantly higher in eyes with vitreomacular attachment (51.5%) than in those with vitreomacular separation (22.0%) (Plt;0.01). Conclusion It was suggest ed that compl ete PVD may play a role in protecting eyes with BRVO from posterior segment neov ascularization and macular edema. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2001,17:2-4)