Retinal capillary hemangiomas are benign vascular tumors in the retina or optic nerve head. They are orange-red nodular lesions with tortuosity and dilatation (often irregular) of feeding artery and draining vein.

They can enlarge and produce visual loss by complicated retinal exudates, exudative retinal detachment, an epiretinal membrane, vitreous hemorrhage and subretinal/ preretinal fibrosis.

Retinal capillary hemangiomas may present at any age but is most commonly diagnosed in young adults. At a much earlier age they are multiple or bilateral and associated with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, an autosomal dominant condition with associated cerebellar haemangioblastoma, phaeochromocytoma, and other visceral tumours. Isolated capillary hemangiomas are usually not related to systemic disease.

Early detection of retinal hemangioma is important for detection of tumours in other systems and genetic counseling.

Differential Diagnosis:

Vasoproliferative tumours – they are retinal vascular lesions that may be associated with retinitis pigmentosa, uveitis, or long-standing retinal detachment, however, are not accompanied by dilated feeder vessels and they tend to occur in older patients.