Retinal Hemangioma-Like Lesions in Eyes With Retinitis Pigmentosa

The authors report two patients with bilateral vascular masses of the peripheral retina associated with primary pigmentary dystrophy of the retina (retinitis pigmentosa). Although they are most similar to the retinal capillary hemangiomas of von Hippel, the affected patients had no clinical history or clinical findings suggestive of that syndrome. They differ from the calcified retinal hamartomas that have been associated with retinitis pigmentosa because they do not show the extensive telangiectasia and exudation seen with the exudative retinopathy that has been described with retinitis pigmentosa. They do not show the fluorescein angiographic pattern that characterizes peripheral choroidal neovascularization. Their main complication seems to be vitreous hemorrhage rather than exudative retinopathy. The authors discuss the possible relationship of these acquired retinal vascular masses to the retinitis pigmentosa.