Choroid

[eartha782]

I have Sturge-Weber (Birthmark) on the left hand side of my face.  The birthmark has caused my left eye to have glaucoma and a large wall of blood vessels are pushing up against the choroid.  Are there any surgeries to dissolved the blood vessels to lower the pressure on the eye?

[eartha782]

I have seen many specialist, but none of them do any surgeries as the trabeculectomy surgery.  My ultra sound showed a wall of blood vessels in back of the choroid. There are several types of laser treatments, but I can't find anyone who does them or treatments my situation.  Did the patient at Will's Eye Hospital have blood vessels in the back of the eye? What side was the birthmark on? I believe that I have choroidal hemangioma.  There a two types of laser surgery, photo dynamic therapy and external beam radiation therapy.  No doctor in Massachusetts wants to fool with this type of surgery.  I'm moving to Missouri at the end of June and was wondering if there are any doctors in that state that deal with hemangioma inside the eye?

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

I have had a few patients with this exact situation with Sturge-Weber Syndrome and glaucoma and the glaucoma can be very difficult to control.  One patient had to have a trabeculectomy surgery at Will's Eye Hospital and did extremely well.  There is no effective way to just make the blood vessels go away but there are glaucoma surgeries (and of course drops and laser treatments)  to help control the pressure.  I strongly suggest you see a board-certified ophthalmologist that is a glaucoma specialist since they cases can be more tricky than some.

Michael Kutryb, MD