Peripheral retinal nonperfusion associated with essential thrombocytosis

PURPOSE: To describe a patient with retinal complications of essential thro mbocytosis. METHOD: Case report. A 24-year-old man with acute vitreous hemorrhage of th e right eye underwent ocular and systemic examinations to elucidate the ori gin of this condition. RESULTS: Fluorescein angiography of the right eye showed an avascular perip heral retina with marked capillary nonperfusion, arteriovenous anastomosis, and sea fan neovascularization. Blood studies showed thrombocytosis withou t other associated systemic diseases. The peripheral retinal capillary nonp erfusion and sea fan neovascularization were treated with dye-laser photoco agulation, and aspirin, 80 mg daily, was given for systemic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In our patient, the avascular retina was associated with essen tial thrombocytosis, which may cause an avascular peripheral retina with ne ovascularization and vitreous hemorrhage in otherwise healthy persons. (C) 1999 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.