Chorioretinal vascular abnormalities associated with angioid streaks and pseudoxanthoma elasticum.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the retinal and choroidal vascular abnormalities in eyes with angioid streaks (AS) associated with pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE).

METHODS

Color photographs and fluorescein angiograms of 54 eyes of 27 consecutive patients with AS and PXE were examined retrospectively.

RESULTS

Four (7%) of the 54 eyes had a major vascular abnormality at the level of the disc; this took the form of a large vascular loop corresponding to an arteriovenous communication between retina and choroid in 3 eyes (6%) and an anastomosis between 2 retinal arteries in 1 eye (2%).

CONCLUSION

Analysis of the vascular network in these eyes showed several vascular abnormalities, among which chorioretinal arteriovenous communications appear to be the most dramatic.