Peripapillary subretinal neovascularization in sarcoidosis: remission and exacerbation during oral corticosteroid...

In sarcoidosis, peripapillary subretinal neovascularization is rare. The role of corticosteroid therapy for subretinal neovascularization is controversial.

A 38-year-old female patient weighing 38 kg with histologically diagnosed sarcoidosis presented with peripapillary subretinal neovascularization, retinal phlebitis, a hyperemic disc, and snowball vitreous opacities in the left eye.

Oral betamethasone therapy at an initial dose of 3 mg/day reduced the size of subretinal neovascular membrane, and the membrane became fibrous. Despite the total initial 140 mg of betamethasone given over 2.5 months and the additional total 700 mg of prednisolone given over the next 2 months, the subretinal neovascularization recurred. Six months after the first recurrence, a second recurrence developed during the tapering-off period of oral corticosteroid therapy. At the second recurrence, the oral corticosteroid therapy was ineffective in reducing the size of the neovascular membrane.

In our patient, oral corticosteroids temporarily suppressed peripapillary subretinal neovascularization but failed to prevent extension of neovascular membrane to the fovea because of recurrent sarcoidosis. Over time, oral corticosteroids appear to lose their effectiveness for treating repeated recurrence of peripapillary subretinal neovascularization associated with sarcoidosis.