[Retinal cavernous hemangioma associated with intracerebral cavernous hemangioma in a 33-year follow-up study]

Cavernous hemangioma of the retina is congenital, mostly unilateral lesion, with autosomal dominant transmission. Usually can be easily recognized by its characteristic appearance of cluster of dark-red saccular aneurysms, partly covered by a fine glial membrane. It may be associated with similar lesions of the skin, brain and other organs. A 23-year-old patient with cavernous hemangioma of the retina, who preventively underwent argon laser therapy has been followed up in our department. During the observation no symptomatic ocular hemorrhage occurred. We presuppose that a preventive laser treatment forestalled a possible retinal and vitreous bleeding. However, in a long-term follow up we have detected slowly growing number of retinal hemangiomas. Patient's life is hardly damaged by complications of cavernous hemangioma of the brain. Because of autosomal dominant transmission all family members, with and without fundus findings, should undergo computed tomography or magnetic resonance imagining of the brain to preclude intracranial vascular anomaly.