Peripapillary subretinal neovascularization in chronic uveitis

P. L. Schwartz, E. S. Gragoudas and J. V. Lapus

Peripapillary subretinal neovascularization progressively developed in both eyes of a 17-year-old black woman with bilateral chronic granulomatous uveitis. Despite intensive medical therapy, central vision was lost in the left eye due to disciform scarring that extended to the macula. When a similar process was discovered in the right eye, argon laser therapy was started and was successful in eliminating all areas of subretinal neovascularization in the right eye while maintaining good cental vision. Chronic uveitis is probably another cause of peripapillary subretinal neovascularization, which can be treated with photocoagulation in spite of the presence of inflammation.