Results of treatment of 40 patients (43 eyes) with foreign bodies in the posterior segment of the eye are discussed. Special attention is paid to correct assessment of the risk and efficacy of removal of a fragment in each case. Only 67.5% of patients presented with obvious indications for removal of a foreign body through the vitreous. Fragments were removed in 83.3% of these patients. Complications occurred in 6.6%. The main causes of failure of sparing removal of a foreign body from the posterior segment of the eye were detachment of the retina and hemophthalmia.