Retinitis pigmentosa and a retinal vasculopathy of the Coats type

Retinitis pigmentosa is occasionally associated with a vasculopathy of the Coats type. Although the clinical appearance of the vaculopathy is similar to that seen in the usual patient iwth Coats's disease, cases associated with retinitis pigmentosa are usually bilateral, equally common in females, and are not seen in childhood. These findings suggest a different etiological process. We speculate that the etiology in such cases may be related to the vascular narrowing and slower circulation known to occur in some retinitis pigmentosa patients.