New treatments in radiation retinopathy

The purpose of this study was to present a case of radiation retinopathy and review of the literature on treatment options for the disease.

A 28-year-old woman presented with bilateral visual acuity impairment. Four years before presentation, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma affecting the left supraclavicular area and was treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, achieving complete remission. Bilateral radiation retinopathy with macular edema was diagnosed after the possibility of relapse was ruled out. Several treatments, including intravitreal bevacizumab and triamcinolone, laser photocoagulation, and surgery, have been used in an effort to resolve the macular edema and the tractional proliferative retinopathy.

Radiation tractional retinopathy was controlled with surgery and photocoagulation, and macular edema was resolved with a final visual acuity of 20/25 in both eyes.

Radiation retinopathy is a complication that is devastating to the visual pathway. Historically, it has been refractory to treatment, but new options are now available. We review the most recent literature on radiation retinopathy treatment.