Retinal capillary hemangiomas: clinical manifestations and visual prognosis

To describe the clinical features, visual outcomes, and therapeutic complications of patients with retinal capillary hemangiomas.

A retrospective, non-comparative, observational case study of patients diagnosed with retinal capillary hemangiomas was conducted. Twelve patients (13 eyes) at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital of Kaohsiung from July 1987 to June 2001 were reviewed. Pre- and post-treatment visual acuity and ocular complications are described.

One patient had bilateral and another had unilateral juxtapapillary hemangiomas. All of the other 10 patients were diagnosed with peripheral retinal capillary hemangiomas. More patients had retinal capillary hemangiomas located in the temporal peripheral retina and all had endophytic growth patterns. No patient met the diagnostic criteria of von Hippel-Lindau disease. Visual acuity levels of peripheral retinal hemangiomas without exudative retinal detachment often remained the same after focal laser treatment. Two patients received vitreoretinal surgery. Patients with juxtapapillary hemangiomas had variable visual outcomes and visual field defects during follow-up.

Early diagnosis of capillary hemangiomas in the retinal periphery and treatment by focal laser produced good visual outcomes. If untreated, the tumors may eventually be complicated with exudative retinal detachment and have a worse visual prognosis even with vitreoretinal surgery.