Coat’s Disease
So, what is Coat’s disease?
Coats’ disease is a rare non-hereditary eye condition that impacts the retinal tissue by allowing abnormal blood vessels to leak fluid into the retina. This condition has a predilection for males 3:1 and will often manifest in younger children; with higher severity in children 3 years of age or younger. It is unclear why this phenomenon occurs, but researchers have speculated certain genes will mutate leading to abnormal blood vessel growth.
What signs should we look for in our children?
Early symptoms include: decreased vision, strabismus (eye turn in or out), or leukocoria (white pupil).
What exactly does an eye care provider see inside the eye when this condition occurs?
Coats’ disease is broken into 5 stages with stage 1 as the mildest. Dilated blood vessels are the earliest signs that will surface in the retinal tissue. As these vessels engorge and become more twisted in nature, they will start to leak fluid into the retina layers. This in turn will lead to swelling within retinal tissue and cause vision to decline; especially if the central part of the eye becomes involved.
If this storm continues to brew, it can lead to severe retinal tissue damage. Since there is so much fluid seeping into the retina, it may cause the retina layers to split apart and lead to retinal detachments. Also, the ocular pressure can increase resulting in glaucoma or a painful blind eye as in the case of Darian- whose story was featured in February’s Eye Hero blog.
Is there treatment?
There are several treatment options recommended by eyecare providers that may help decrease the severity and symptoms, particularly when caught in earlier stages of the disease. As an eyecare provider, I strongly recommend annual pediatric eye examinations; not only to assess for vision correction, but most importantly to monitor ocular health.
Community Resources:
References:
NIH, rarediseases.org, American Association of Pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, American Academy of Ophthalmology
