Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Vitreous Hemorrhage in Coats-Type Retinitis Pigmentosa

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: For vitreous hemorrhage induced by coats-types retinitis pigmentosa, we report a case treated with pars plana vitrectomy and endolaser photocoagulation. CASE SUMMARY: A 24-year-old male who was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in both eyes 6 years earlier presented with decreased visual acuity in his left eye for the last 7 months. Corrected visual acuity was measured at 0.06 in the left eye and fundus examination revealed a vitreous hemorrhage in the left eye as well as an exudative lesion in the right eye's peripheral retina, which suggested Coats-type retinitis pigmentosa. The left eye was treated with pars plana vitrectomy. After removal of the vitreous hemorrhage, endolaser photocoagulation was performed around the peripheral exudative lesion that caused the vitreous hemorrhage. One month later, the best-corrected visual acuity increased to 0.20 in the left eye, and there was an improvement in the vitreous hemorrhage and the exudative lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Pars plana vitrectomy and endolaser can be helpful in vitreous hemorrhage induced by coats-type retinitis pigmentosa.