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Familial retinal arteriolar tortuosity associated with retinal and vitreous hemorrhages
Chiara Rinaldi1, Pawan Bhatnagar, Lawrence A Yannuzzi
1From the *Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York, New York, New York; and †LuEsther T. Mertz Retinal Research Center, Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, New York, New York.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to report a patient with familial retinal arteriolar tortuosity who presented with both retinal and vitreous hemorrhages.
Methods:
This was a single case report.
Results:
A young woman affected by severe spina bifida with myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus presented with a 4-month history of blurred vision in both eyes. The patient had a history of severe constipation. Fundus examination of both eyes showed tortuosity of the retinal arterioles and multiple hemorrhages throughout the fundus at the sub-, intraretinal, subhyaloid, and intravitreal levels. The bleeding was likely because of a Valsalva effect.
Conclusion:
Familial retinal arteriolar tortuosity is a rare disease characterized by the selective tortuosity of the second- and third-order retinal arterioles in the macula and peripapillary area. Patients may experience episodes of vision loss secondary to retinal hemorrhages. To our knowledge, this is the first report of vitreous hemorrhage in a patient with familial retinal arteriolar tortuosity.
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