This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Minimally invasive surgery effective for reattaching retina in Coats' disease
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Minimally invasive surgery is sufficient for retinal reattachment in children with Coats' disease, a study found. However, children with less severe disease preoperatively tend to achieve better visual outcomes, the authors noted.
Robert S. Adam, of McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, and colleagues reviewed the charts of 10 children with Coats' disease at an average age of 4.6 years who were treated with intraocular surgery, cryopexy and/or laser photocoagulation. The results are published in the March issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
At baseline, an average 2.7 retinal quadrants were involved with telangiectasia. Eight of the 10 children had retinal detachment, six of which were total. All children had macular involvement with either exudate or fibrosis, according to the study.
At 2.3 years' mean follow-up, investigators found better visual outcomes for children with less severe disease at baseline. "For example, the only four patients to maintain ambulatory vision all presented without total retinal detachment, two or fewer quadrants of retinal telangiectasia and a visual acuity better than light perception," the authors said.
They noted that no patients developed secondary angle-closure glaucoma, and all patients kept a cosmetically acceptable eye.