Eye Info

Coats' disease

Summary: Designed to help you understand more about your eye condition, this guide has been written by our experienced eye health team.

What is Coats’ disease?

Coats’ disease, also known as Exudative Retinitis, is a progressive condition of the retinal capillaries which occurs in children and young adults, usually males. Commencing typically during the first decade of life, it is gradual in progress and affects central vision, usually in only one eye.

Retinal capillaries play an important part in the nourishment of the retina which forms the thin light-sensitive screen lining the inside of the back two thirds of the eye. Light reaching the retina is converted into electrical impulses which pass along the optic nerve to the brain where the impulses are converted to sight.

What are the causes of Coats’ disease?

At the moment there is no known cause of Coats’ disease.

What are the effects of Coats’ disease?

The main symptom of Coats’ disease is the deterioration in either central or peripheral vision. Peripheral vision is sometimes called doughnut or side vision.

Coats’ disease causes retinal capillary dilation, malformation and leakage. Some subretinal bleeding may be experienced and there is a threat of retinal detachment. Although it is recorded that changes in the blood vessels accompany the later stages of the condition, this is not always seen and it is widely believed that the earliest changes in the small vessels of the retina tend to increase in size. This can lead to superficial haemorrhages and leakage. Coats’ may cause strabismus (squint).

Is there any treatment for Coats’ disease?

The condition is diagnosed by the appearance of the back of the eye and by Fluorescein Angiography. Angiography clarifies the eye by injecting dye and then taking photos of the circulation of the back of the eye.

Certain rare complications that might involve the macular regions (responsible for central vision) are increasingly treated successfully with the Argon laser.

Surgery, usually by light (photocoagulation) or extreme cold (cryotherapy), can be used in some people.

What is the prognosis for Coats’ disease?

If applied early, treatment may be successful in preventing progression and in some cases can improve vision but this is less effective if the retina has detached.

Although it is not uncommon for the condition to lead to retinal detachment, in many cases progress of Coats’ disease halts of its own accord and without treatment.

What next?

Talk to someone

The RNIB Helpline can:

  • put you in touch with an RNIB specialist advice service such as welfare benefits and rights, education, employment, legal rights, emotional support, daily living help and residential care
  • send you free information and leaflets
  • give you details of support groups and services in your area.

Call us Monday to Friday 9.00 am – 5.00 pm on 0845 766 9999 or 020 7388 2525 (some callers may find it cheaper to call a landline, so we have detailed both 08 prefixed numbers and landline equivalents where available).

Unfortunately, RNIB can only answer email enquiries from the UK. But you may find an organisation for people with poor sight in your country through our agencies database.

Get information

RNIB's guide to Adapting to sightloss offers ideas for people with sight problems on making life easier and ways of getting the most out of life.

You may also find the following useful:

Useful contacts

RNIB is not aware of a specialist group offering information on Coats’ disease although a range of services exist for people with sight difficulties and related problems.

LOOK is an organisation which seeks to identify sight related support groups and put parents in contact. They have regional representatives. Look's national office address is :

LOOK UK
Queen Alexandra College
Court Oak Rd
Harbourne
Birmingham B17 9TG
Telephone 0121 428 5038

About this guide

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Content author: eyehealth@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 22/09/2008 17:12

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