2044
Angioid streaks, are small breaks in Bruch’s membrane, an elastic tissue containing membrane of the retina that may become calcified and crack.
Angioid streaks are often associated with pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), but have been found to occur in conjunction with other disorders, including Paget’s disease, Sickle cell disease and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
Can be seen idiopathically.
These streaks can have a negative impact on vision due to choroidal neovascularization or choroidal rupture.
Vision can be impaired if the streaks progress to the fovea and damage the retinal pigment epithelium.
Diagnosis mainly clinical.
Fundus fluoresnene angiography shows that the streaks appear hyperfluorescent in the early phase.
It is believed that its pathology may be a combination of elastic degeneration of Bruch’s membrane, iron deposition in elastic fibers from hemolysis with secondary mineralization, and impaired nutrition due to stasis and small vessel occlusion.