
Irina Bykhovskaya, M.D.
Contributing Editor
Every Friday morning at 8:15, a group of faculty and residents gathers in the conference room of the Doheny Eye Institute for Grand Rounds. This presentation was given by Dr. Bykhovskaya and reviews another unique retinopathy, Coats' disease. ("Thank you" to the authors for sharing it.) Coats' disease is a chronic, progressive disorder, characterized by yellowish lipid-rich subretinal and intraretinal exudates, telangiectatic and aneurismal vessels. The vascular anomaly is present at birth but loss of vision does not occur until enough exudate is present to cause retinal detachment. Often this is in the first decade of life. The clinical presentation, clinical course, histopathology, and differential diagnosis are reviewed in the context of an interesting case. Once again, the technology around the diagnosis and treatment of this condition would have amazed Dr. George Coats (1876-1915). For example, computed tomography -- the absence of calcifications at CT is helpful in distinguishing Coats' disease from the more common retinoblastoma. Take a look at this presentation and review the basics pertaining to this rare condition. - Ed.
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