Studies on etiology and pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinopathy are necessitated by the absence of a unified theory, which would provide a clear understanding of causes and mechanisms of the disease. The results of recent investigations allow to consider proliferative vitreoretinopathy as an uncontrollable plastic process caused by certain changes in the retina aimed at survival of its cells under oxidative stress. This approach enables preclinical indication of the process and development of new therapies.