Excessive myopia and anisometropia associated with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy.

BACKGROUND To describe associations between familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) and refractive status. METHODS We conducted retrospective studies of patients with clinical diagnoses of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy from June 1986 through September 2000. All patients had cycloplegic refraction, visual acuity with correction, and underwent fundus examination. Ocular history since early childhood was described. RESULTS Nine patients were recruited. All had excessive myopia, which was noted since early childhood. Amblyopia was noted in seven of the nine patients. Asymmetric FEVR was found in four of the nine patients. In all four patients with asymmetric FEVR, anisometropia equal to or greater than 2.5D was noted. Myopia was higher and amblyopia was more severe in the eye more severely affected with FEVR. CONCLUSION Excessive myopia, anisometropia and amblyopia were more likely to occur in eyes with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy. Patients with asymmetric disease tended to have higher myopia in the eye with more severe degree of FEVR as compared with the paired eye and thus correlated with anisometropia.