Oral propranolol for exudative retinal detachment in diffuse choroidal hemangioma.

T he main abnormality of the uveal tract in patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome is diffuse choroidal hemangioma (DCH). Diffuse choroidal hemangioma can lead to a total retinal detachment and secondary neovascular glaucoma. Radiotherapy and photodynamic therapy are currently the preferred methods of treatment. Low-dose lens-sparing radiotherapy or proton beam irradiation can induce tumor regression and resolution of subretinal fluid. Short-term treatment success using photodynamic therapy has also been reported. The use of oral propranolol hydrochloride has been described for infantile orbital and periorbital hemangioma. Recently, Léauté-Labrèze et al observed that systemic propranolol could inhibit the growth of infantile hemangioma (IH) lesions in children. The response of IH to propranolol catapulted the use of this treatment to first-line status among physicians managing this disease. We report the use of oral propranolol for exudative retinal detachment in DCH associated with SturgeWeber syndrome.