Retinal changes associated with neurofibromatosis 2.

INTRODUCTION: Neurofibromatosis (NF) is now known to be more than one disease. NF2, formerly classified as central neurofibromatosis, is characterized by bilateral vestibular schwannomas, previously termed "acoustic neuromas", and is much less common than NF1. Lens opacities at an early age have been described in approximately 85% of NF2 patients. PURPOSE: To determine the frequency of retinal abnormalities in NF2 patients. METHODS: We prospectively examined 15 consecutive patients who met the diagnostic criteria of NF2. RESULTS: We observed an epiretinal membrane in the macular or paramacular area in 12 of 15 patients, and a combined pigment epithelial and retinal hamartoma in the macula of one patient who also had an epiretinal membrane in the macula of the other eye. Additionally, 11 patients had central posterior cortical, subcapsular, or peripheral cortical lens opacities. CONCLUSIONS: Children or young patients with epiretinal membranes, combined pigment epithelial retinal hamartoma, and lens opacities that are not the result of other ocular disorders should have a neurologic evaluation and a careful family history for NF2.

Ocular implications of long-term prednisone therapy in children.

We compared 23 patients (ages 4 to 18 years) who were receiving long-term oral prednisone therapy with 31 normal controls (ages 7 to 16 years). Indications for corticosteroid treatment included renal transplant in 11 patients, nephrotic syndrome in 7, glomerulonephritis in 4, and vasculitis without renal disease in 1. The mean duration of prednisone therapy was 5.0 +/- 3.5 years, and the mean dose at the time of examination was 0.29 +/- 0.18 mg/kg/day. Mean intraocular pressure was 16.0 +/- 3.0 mm Hg (range, 12 to 25 mm Hg) in the prednisone group and 15.4 +/- 2.1 mm Hg (range, 12 to 20 mm Hg) in the control group. The difference between the means was 0.6 mm Hg (P = 0.35). Posterior subcapsular cataracts were present in seven (30%) of the prednisone patients, but in none of the controls (P = .001). None of the cataracts were visually significant. We found no evidence that pediatric patients on long-term, low-dose prednisone have higher intraocular pressures (IOPs) than normal children, although they are more likely to develop posterior subcapsular cataracts.

Ocular findings associated with neurofibromatosis type II.

BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis has been recently acknowledged as consisting of a number of different diseases. Neurofibromatosis (NF) type I and NF type II are the most clearly defined. Type II is characterized by bilateral acoustic neuromas and is rare (its incidence is 1/50,000). The previously reported ocular associations of NF type II are posterior subcapsular cataracts, Lisch nodules, and combined hamartomata of the retinal pigment epithelium and retina. In this study, the authors attempt to define further the ocular manifestations of NF type II. METHODS: The authors prospectively examined 9 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for NF type II (age, 18 to 38 years; mean, 25 years). RESULTS: Seven of nine patients had epiretinal membranes in the posterior pole. None of these epiretinal membranes were visually significant. In addition, five patients had central posterior cortical cataracts and five had peripheral wedge-shaped cortical cataracts. CONCLUSION: The presence of epiretinal membranes in young patients may represent another clinical finding associated with NF type II. Epiretinal membranes, central posterior cataracts, peripheral cortical cataracts, or combined hamartoma of the retinal epithelium and retina in young patients should alert the ophthalmologist to include NF type II in the differential diagnosis in patients with stigmata of NF type II.