[Clinical forms and differential diagnosis of angioid streaks of the retina]

The authors describe the clinical forms of complicated angioid streaks (AS) of the retina and the diagnostic symptoms of this condition that help differentiate it from other fundus oculi abnormalities. 52 patients (104 eyes) with retinal AS have been examined. Ophthalmoscopic and angiographic picture permits distinguish 4 clinical forms of complicated retinal AS: exudative hemorrhagic macular changes, non-exudative macular dystrophy, optic nerve atrophy, hemophthalmos. The underlying condition has been differentiated from central involutional retinal dystrophy, complicated myopia, central chorioretinitis, vasculitis. Noteworthy, that complete or partial atrophy of the optic nerve in the presenCe of profuse gastrointestinal hemorrhages is rarely responsible for vision deterioration in the patients with AS.