Vitreous hemorrhage secondary to juxtapapillary vascular hamartoma of the retina.

The authors report an unusual case with vitreous hemorrhage due to a vascular hamartoma of the optic nerve-head and treated by pars plana vitrectomy. Systemic abnormalities included a seizure disorder, periungual fibroma, and intracranial calcifications suggesting systemic tuberous sclerosis. However, the ocular lesion resembled a juxtapapillary pigment epithelial and retinal hamartoma or a capillary hemangioma rather than an astrocytic hamartoma. Vitreous hemorrhage has been reported previously in eyes with capillary hemangiomas and astrocytic hamartomas, but not in eyes with juxtapapillary pigment epithelial and retinal hamartomas. In young patients with vitreous hemorrhage of unknown cause, juxtapapillary hamartomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis.