Retinal angiomatous proliferation with a cilioretinal artery anastomosis: an unusual presentation.

PURPOSE: To report an unusual phenotype of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and its short-term response to laser photocoagulation.

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

An 85-year-old woman was found to have an unusual RAP with a major feeder vessel originating from a cilioretinal artery and associated with a cilioretinal-retinal anastomosis (C-RRA). Diffuse cystoid macular edema (CME), intraretinal hard exudates in a circinate pattern, and a fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment (PED) were present. Laser photocoagulation was performed and led to occlusion of the cilioretinal feeder vessel and angiomatous lesion, with less CME. The other (retinal) arm of the C-RRA became more engorged and a new cilioretinal feeder developed, and both were associated with intraretinal hemorrhages. Visual acuity was stable and the PED persisted throughout follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

We report an unusual phenotype of RAP that is associated with a major cilioretinal feeder vessel and comment on the possible effect of such an association on the response to laser treatment.