Surgical Management of Coats Disease

Coats disease is a sporadic, chronic retinal vascular disorder with telangiectatic and aneurysmal retinal vessels, with retinal exudation and retinal detachment in severe cases. Various treatment modalities have been used, including laser therapy, cryotherapy, anti‒vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy, and surgery. Anti-VEGF therapy seems to be effective in reducing exudative changes and is often combined with other treatment modalities. For severe cases with exudative retinal detachment, external drainage of subretinal fluid with or without vitrectomy is commonly performed, combined with laser therapy and/or cryotherapy. Relatively good anatomical outcomes have been reported; however, postoperative functional results, particularly in young patients and/or severe cases, seem to be limited.