Vitrectomy for vitreous opacities and macular pucker in Gaucher disease

Eur J Ophthalmol. 2011 May-Jun;21(3):340-2. doi: 10.5301/EJO.2010.5797.

Abstract

Purpose: To report significant surgical results in an uncommon ophthalmologic complication of a rare disease.

Methods: Interventional case report.

Results: A 16-year-old girl with type III Gaucher disease experienced visual loss in both eyes. Ophthalmologic examination revealed dense whitish vitreous opacities and macular pucker OU. Visual acuity (VA) OD was 20/63 and OS was 20/25. She underwent 25-gauge vitrectomy with removal of the vitreous core, posterior vitreous cortex, and indocyanine green?stained internal limiting membrane OD. Visual acuity improved, reaching 20/25 1 year after surgery despite the appearance of small preretinal flecks. Visual acuity OS decreased some time later and vitrectomy was performed when VA OS was 20/100. Three years after surgery, BCVA was 20/25 OD and 20/20 OS 1 year after surgery.

Conclusions: We describe a young patient with Gaucher disease with severe bilateral vitreous opacities and macular pucker. After surgery, vitreous opacities partially and progressively recurred, but the overall favorable outcome strongly supports a surgical approach in cases of this kind.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Coloring Agents
  • Electroretinography
  • Epiretinal Membrane / diagnosis
  • Epiretinal Membrane / physiopathology
  • Epiretinal Membrane / surgery*
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual
  • Eye Diseases / diagnosis
  • Eye Diseases / physiopathology
  • Eye Diseases / surgery*
  • Female
  • Gaucher Disease / diagnosis
  • Gaucher Disease / physiopathology
  • Gaucher Disease / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Indocyanine Green
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence
  • Visual Acuity / physiology
  • Visual Fields
  • Vitrectomy*
  • Vitreous Body / pathology
  • Vitreous Body / surgery*

Substances

  • Coloring Agents
  • Indocyanine Green