FAMILIAL PARS PLANITIS

Pars planitis is an intraocular inflammatory disorder which usually af fects children or young adults and is characterized by vitreous cells and debris ('snowballs'), exudate, and 'snowbank' formation along the pars plana, variable periphlebitis, and cystoid macular edema. Althoug h no inheritance pattern has been defined, familial cases of pars plai nitis have been reported. This report describes pars planitis in two s isters, one of whom had evidence of demyelinating disease at presentat ion. The literature on familial pars planitis is reviewed. To the auth or's knowledge this is the first case of familial pars planitis as the presenting sign of possible demyelinating disease.