Retinopathy With Variant of Unknown Significance and Atypical Chorioretinal Coloboma in the Setting of Prematurity

Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2024 Feb 1:1-4. doi: 10.3928/23258160-20240202-01. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

A 37-week-old girl underwent ophthalmic examination. Born at 32 weeks, the infant weighed 680 grams and received high-flow nasal cannula for respiratory distress of the newborn. Dilated fundus examination of the right eye revealed an atypical chorioretinal coloboma; the left eye revealed hyperpigmentary changes in the macula. Fluorescein angiography of both eyes showed retinal vascularization to zone II. Genetic testing revealed a heterozygous variant of uncertain significance in the catenin Alpha 1 (CTNNA1) gene. CTNNA1 gene abnormalities have been implicated as causes of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR). It is important to recognize possible simultaneous retinopathy of prematurity and FEVR. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2024;55:XX-XX.].