Severe proliferative retinopathy progressing to blindness in a japanese woman with takayasu disease

PURPOSE: To report a patient with Takayasu disease with severe proliferative retinopathy progressing to bilateral blindness. A 57-year-old Japanese woman suffering from Takayasu disease for 16 years manifested severe proliferative retinopathy in both eyes, leading to blindness due to optic atrophy. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A 57-year-old Japanese woman suffering from Takayasu disease for 16 years underwent a comprehensive opthalmologic examination. Panretinal photocoagulation and vitrectomy were performed on both eyes. SETTINGS: Institutional practice. RESULTS: At initial examination, the patient was found to have severe proliferative retinopathy with tractional retinal detachment in both eyes. The retinal detachments were repaired by the vitrectomy, however, the patient developed bilateral blindness due to optic atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a long history of Takayasu disease can demonstrate severe proliferative retinopathy that may be resistant to photocoagulation and/or vitreous surgery. Ocular ischemia can lead to blindness from ischemic optic neuropathy.