Post-vitrectomy observation of Coat's disease associated with exudative retinal detachment, successfully treated with long-term silicone oil tamponade.

BACKGROUND: Treating Coat's disease with exudative retinal detachment remains a challenge, since vitreous surgery is frequently accompanied by serious complications such as secondary glaucoma. CASE: A 25-year-old woman with Coat's disease of the right eye had cystic exudative retinal detachment along the naso-inferior vessels at the peripheral retina, due to 5-o'clock telangiectasia. Right visual acuity was finger counting. This patient underwent vitrectomy simultaneously with cataract surgery, completed with silicone oil replacement, with thorough drainage of subretinal exudates through the artificial break. Although the complication of secondary glaucoma developed as a result of using silicone oil, approximately three years after the operation, this condition was ameliorated by removing the silicone oil. Thus, blindness was prevented in this patient. CONCLUSION: Long-term tamponade with silicone oil facilitates performing vitreous surgery in this patient suffering from Coat's disease associated from exudative retinal detachment.