$Unique_ID{BRK03691}
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$Title{Eales Disease}
$Subject{Eales Disease Idiopathic Peripheral Periphlebitis Eales Retinopathy
Arteriosclerotic Retinopathy}
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Copyright (C) 1991 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

859:
Eales Disease

** IMPORTANT **
It is possible the main title of the article (Eales Disease) is not the
name you expected.  Please check the SYNONYMS listing on the next page to
find alternate names and disorder subdivisions covered by this article.

Synonyms

     Idiopathic Peripheral Periphlebitis
     Eales Retinopathy

Information on the following diseases can be found in the Related
Disorders section of this report:

     Arteriosclerotic Retinopathy

General Discussion

** REMINDER **
The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for
educational purposes only.  It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment
purposes.  If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please
contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the Resources
section of this report.

Eales Disease is a rare vision disorder that appears to an examining
physician as an inflammation and white haze around the outercoat of the veins
in the retina.  The disorder is most prevalent among young males and normally
affects both eyes.  There is usually a sudden blurring of vision due to
oozing of the clear jelly that fills the eyeball behind the lens of the eye
(vitreous hemorrhaging).

Eales Disease usually presents itself with blurred vision resulting from
oozing of the lear jelly-like substance behind the lens of the eye.  At the
onset of the disorder, the small outer veins of the retina show sheathing
(capsule or covering).  As the disease progresses, the inflammation around
the veins in the retina extends further behind the lens.  Eales Disease may
also be associated with peripheral retinal neovascularization which is the
formation of new blood vessels on the outer part of the retina.

The more advanced cases of Eales Disease are characterized by a non-
inflammatory degenerative disease of the retina (retinopathy) and extensive
bleeding in the retina.  The colorless jelly that fills the eyeball behind
the lens oozes from the retina (vitreous hemorrhage) and, in rare cases, the
retina may become detached.  A reddish discoloration of the iris may be
present (rubeosis iridis), and there may be loss of vision and damage to the
optic disk (neovascular glaucoma).  Clouding of the lens of the eye that
obstructs the passage of light (cataracts) may develop as the disease
progresses.

Causes

The exact cause of Eales Disease is not known.  This disorder seems to occur
spontaneously because scientists have been unable to identify any
precipitating factors such as injury, infection, heredity, etc.

Related Disorders

Symptoms of the following disorders can be similar to those of Eales Disease.
Comparisons may be useful for a differential diagnosis.

Arteriosclerotic Retinopathy is a series of changes in the retina that
are caused by hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis).  The
characteristics of this disorder are bleeding in the retina, thick fluid
oozing from the retina, impaired oxygenation of the retina, and hardening of
the walls of the vision impairment.  (For more information on this disorder,
choose "arteriosclerosis" as your search term in the Rare Disease Database).

Therapies:  Standard

Treatment of Eales Disease is symptomatic and supportive.  The surgical
process of coagulating tissue with a laser beam (laser panretinal
photocoagulation) may be used to eliminate the deficiency of blood in the
retina caused by constriction of blood vessels and to slow down excessive
formation of blood vessel tissue.

Hemorrhaging of the clear jelly that is behind the lens of the eye
(vitreous) and detachment of the retina) may be helped by the removal of the
dark pigmented disk and jelly-like substance behind the retina (pars plana
vitrectomy.

Therapies:  Investigational

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through July
1991.  Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every
entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate.  Please
check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current
information about this disorder.

Resources

For more information on Eales Disease, please contact:

     National Organization for Rare Disorders
     P.O. Box 8923
     New Fairfield, CT  06812-1783
     (203) 746-6518

     NIH/National Eye Institute
     9000 Rockville Pike
     Bethesda, MD  20892
     (301) 496-5248

     Eye Research Institute of Retina Foundation
     20 Staniford St.
     Boston, MA  02114
     (617) 742-3140

References

CLINICAL OPHTHALMOLOGY, 2nd ed.:  Jack J. Kanski; Butterworth-Heinemann,
1989.  P. 170.