Diathermic surgery for a case of angiomatosis retinae.

Abstract

Angiomatosis retinae is one of a group of congenital, hereditary, and familial diseases known as phacomatoses (φακός, meaning birthmark). Angiomatosis of the retina has been known to ophthalmologists for a long time and has been reported in one form or another since 1879 (Panas and Rémy¹). Von Hippel²established it as an ocular clinical entity in 1904. It was not until 1926 that Lindau³recognized its relationship to cerebellar cysts. Since then it has been frequently designated as von Hippel-Lindau disease, but such designation is valid only if a cerebellar cyst can be demonstrated. Angiomatosis retinae is a rare disease. About 150 cases have been reported in the literature. The lesion occurs in 36% of the cases bilaterally. In the unilateral cases the left eye is more frequently involved than the right. Males are more frequently affected. The disease has a definite hereditary trend. The disease is