Classification and management of coats disease: The 2000 Proctor Lecture

PURPOSE: To review the methods and results of management in a large series of patients with Coats disease, to determine risk factors for poor visual outcome and enucleation, and to propose a practical classification of Coats disease. METHODS: In a retrospective consecutive series in 150 patients, Coats disease was defined as idiopathic retinal telangiectasia with intraretinal or subretinal exudation without appreciable signs of retinal or vitreal traction. We reviewed our experience with management, including observation, laser photocoagulation, cryotherapy, and various techniques of retinal detachment surgery and improvement or stability was achieved in 76% of eyes, and final visual acuity was 20/50 or better in 11 eyes (14%), 20/60 to 20/100 in eight (6%), 20/200 to finger counting in 30 (24%), and hand motion to no light perception in 49 (40%) Enucleation was ultimately necessary in 20 eyes (16%). Risk factors predictive of poor visual outcome (20/200 or worse) included postequatorial (P =.01), diffuse (P =.01), or superior (P =.04) location of the telangiectasias and exudation, failed resolution of subretinal fluid after treatment (P =.02), and presence of retinal macrocysts (P =.02). The main risk factors for enucleation were elevated intraocular pressure (greater than 22 mm Hg; P less than or equal to .001) and iris neovascularization (P less than or equal to .001). Coats disease was classified into stage 1, telangiectasia only; stage 2, telangiectasia and exudation (2A, extrafoveal exudation; 2B, foveal exudation) stage 3, exudative retinal detachment (3A, subtotal; 3B, total); stage 4, total detachment and secondary glaucoma; and stage 5, advanced end-stage disease. Poor visual outcome (20/200 or worse) was found in 0% of eyes with stage 1, 53% with stage 2, 74% with stage 3, and 100% of stages 4 and 5 Coats disease. Enucleation was ultimately necessary in 0% of stages 1 and 2, 7% of stage 3, 78% of stage 4, and 0% of stage 5 disease. CONCLUSIONS: Carefully selected treatment can anatomically stabilize or improve the eye with Coats disease in 76% of eyes. However, poor visual outcome of 20/200 or worse commonly results. Patients who present with stages 1 to 3 Coats disease have the best visual prognosis, and patients with stages 4 and 5 have a poor visual prognosis. (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.).