eMedicine Specialties > Ophthalmology > Retina

Lattice Degeneration: Follow-up

Author: David Sarraf, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System
Coauthor(s): Stanley M Saulny, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology Associates of the Valley
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Feb 27, 2007

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Patients with lattice degeneration should be examined on an annual basis.

Complications

  • Complications are rare with laser retinal treatment, but retinal detachment may occur.

Prognosis

  • The prognosis is favorable.

Patient Education

  • Educating patients about the symptoms (eg, new-onset floaters, flashes, visual field defects) of a retinal tear or detachment is critical.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Prophylactic laser retinopexy should be offered to those patients who meet the appropriate treatment criteria. As in any surgical procedure, careful informed consent must be obtained from the patient. While this procedure is fairly common with a good visual prognosis in most patients, it incurs the same risks as most other laser retinal procedures.
  • Patients with significant lattice lesions, including those who have had prophylactic treatments, are always at increased risk over the general population for vision loss due to retinal detachment. Therefore, they must have routine follow-up examinations and be informed of the signs and symptoms of retinal and vitreous detachment and the necessity to seek urgent ophthalmic care when needed.

Special Concerns

  • This review was partly supported by a Research to Prevent Blindness Grant #OP 31 for David Sarraf, MD.
 


More on Lattice Degeneration

Overview: Lattice Degeneration
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Lattice Degeneration
Treatment & Medication: Lattice Degeneration
Follow-up: Lattice Degeneration
Multimedia: Lattice Degeneration
References
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References

  1. Avitabile T, Bonfiglio V, Reibaldi M, et al. Prophylactic treatment of the fellow eye of patients with retinal detachment: a retrospective study. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. Mar 2004;242(3):191-6. [Medline].

  2. Byer NE. Long-term natural history of lattice degeneration of the retina. Ophthalmology. Sep 1989;96(9):1396-401; discussion 1401-2. [Medline].

  3. Byer NE. Lattice degeneration of the retina. Surv Ophthalmol. Jan-Feb 1979;23(4):213-48. [Medline].

  4. Edwards AO, Robertson JE Jr. Hereditary vitreoretinal degenerations. In: Ryan SJ, ed. Retina. 3rd ed. St Louis, Mo: Mosby;. 2001: 482-98.

  5. Folk JC, Arrindell EL, Klugman MR. The fellow eye of patients with phakic lattice retinal detachment. Ophthalmology. Jan 1989;96(1):72-9. [Medline].

  6. Foos RY, Simons KB. Vitreous in lattice degeneration of retina. Ophthalmology. May 1984;91(5):452-7. [Medline].

  7. Gonzales CR, Gupta A, Schwartz SD, Kreiger AE. The fellow eye of patients with phakic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment from atrophic holes of lattice degeneration without posterior vitreous detachment. Br J Ophthalmol. Nov 2004;88(11):1400-2. [Medline].

  8. Lewis H. Peripheral retinal degenerations and the risk of retinal detachment. Am J Ophthalmol. Jul 2003;136(1):155-60. [Medline].

  9. Straatsma BR, Zeegen PD, Foos RY, et al. Lattice degeneration of the retina. XXX Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture. Am J Ophthalmol. May 1974;77(5):619-49. [Medline].

  10. Wilkinson C. Interventions for asymptomatic retinal breaks and lattice degeneration for preventing retinal detachment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005;CD003170. [Medline].

  11. Wilkinson CP. Evidence-based analysis of prophylactic treatment of asymptomatic retinal breaks and lattice degeneration. Ophthalmology. Jan 2000;107(1):12-5; discussion 15-8. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

snail-track degeneration, palisades, etat givre, radial perivascular chorioretinal degeneration, equatorial degeneration, Milky way–like degeneration, vitreous base excavation

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

David Sarraf, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System
David Sarraf, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Stanley M Saulny, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology Associates of the Valley
Stanley M Saulny, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Medical Writers Association, and American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Vytautas A Pakainis, MD, Chief of Ophthalmology, Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Professor of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine
Vytautas A Pakainis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and South Carolina Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute; Chief of Section of Ophthalmology Surgical Services, Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center, West Los Angeles
Simon K Law, MD, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Steve Charles, MD, Director of Charles Retina Institute; Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee College of Medicine
Steve Charles, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, Club Jules Gonin, Macula Society, and Retina Society
Disclosure: Alcon Laboratories Consulting fee Consulting; OptiMedica Ownership interest Consulting

CME Editor

Lance L Brown, OD, MD, Ophthalmologist, Affiliated With Freeman Hospital and St John's Hospital, Regional Eye Center, Joplin, Missouri
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Hampton Roy Sr, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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