Retinopathy and Papilledema in Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease

A retinopathy consisting of dilated, tortuous retinal blood vessels and, in some patients, papilledema may occur in cyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD). Of 83 patients with cyanotic CHD examined ophthalmologically, 52 exhibited some degree of the retinopathy, and 12 had papilledema. The severity of the fundus changes was closely related to the patient's arterial oxygen saturation and hematocrit and bore no relationship to arterial Pco2, pH, central venous pressure, type of cardiac malformation, or the patient's age.