[Retinal laser photocoagulation for familial transthyretin-related ocular amyloidosis]

Ocular manifestations associated with transthyretin-related familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), such as vitreous opacity and glaucoma, reportedly continue and worsen, even after liver transplantation, which should halt the progression of the neurological complications. We used panretinal laser photocoagulation, which damages the retinal pigment epithelium, the main synthetic source of amyloidogenic transthyretin in ocular tissues, to treat one eye each of two FAP patients as a pilot study. Panretinal laser photocoagulation prevented the progression of amyloid depositions in the vitreous and on the retinal surface in both cases during a 3 years follow-up. No serious complications occurred. Panretinal laser photocoagulation may be a safe and novel treatment option to mitigate ocular manifestations in FAP patients.