Laser photocoagulation in preproliferative retinopathy of incontinentia pigmenti

Abstract

Incontinentia Pigmenti is a rare, X-linked, dominant disorder in which affected female infants develop characteristic abnormalities of the skin, central nervous system, hair, teeth, and eyes. Ocular abnormalities occur in about 35% of patients and consist of proliferative vitreoretinopathy, retinal detachment, strabismus, cataract, microphthalmia, optic nerve atrophy, and iris hypoplasia. Retinal vascular abnormalities, ranging from peripheral retinal avascularity to neovascular and fibrous proliferation with traction retinal detachment, are the primary cause of severe visual dysfunction in patients. Therapeutic intervention with laser photocoagulation and cryotherapy for the proliferative vitreoretinopathy of incontinentia pigmenti has met with variable success. We report a case in which laser photocoagulation was used at the onset of retinopathy with subsequent resolution of the vasculopathy.