Retinal tuft

{{Short description|Vitreoretinal eye defect that can lead to retinal tears}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{cs1 config |name-list-style=vanc |display-authors=6}} {{Infobox medical condition |name = Retinal tuft |synonyms =  |image = |image_upright = |image_size = |alt = |image_thumbtime = |caption = |width = |image2 = |image2_upright = |image_size2 = |alt2 = |image_thumbtime2 = |caption2 = |width2 = |pronounce = |pronounce 2 = |specialty = Ophthalmology |symptoms = |complications = Retinal detachment |onset = |duration = |types = Cystic, non-cystic, zonular traction |causes =  |risks =  |diagnosis = Dilated eye examination, retinal scan |differential = |prevention = |treatment =  |medication = |prognosis = |frequency = 5% |deaths = |named after =  }}

'''Retinal tuft''' ('''vitroretinal tuft''') is a disorder or degeneration of the retina in the eye.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last1=Brinton |first1=DA |title=Retinal detachment: principles and practice. 3rd ed. |last2=Wilkinson |first2=CP |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2009 |isbn=9780197562543 |location=New York |pages=97–100}}</ref> Retinal tufts are classified as peripheral retinal degeneration, and can be categorized as either cystic or zonular tractional.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Venkatesh |first1=Ramesh |last2=Sharief |first2=Shama |last3=Thadani |first3=Atul |last4=Ratra |first4=Dhanashree |last5=Mohan |first5=Sashwanthi |last6=Narayanan |first6=Raja |last7=Narula |first7=Ritesh |last8=Asad |first8=Yusra |last9=Roy |first9=Rupak |last10=Jayadev |first10=Chaitra |last11=Yadav |first11=Naresh K. |date=2022 |title=Recommendations for management of peripheral retinal degenerations |journal=Indian Journal of Ophthalmology |volume=70 |issue=10 |pages=3681–3686 |doi=10.4103/ijo.IJO_689_22 |doi-access=free |issn=1998-3689 |pmc=9789835 |pmid=36190072}}</ref> Retinal tufts can be visualized or diagnosed using a dilated eye examination and indirect ophthalmoscope or a widefield retinal scan.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cheung |first1=Rene |last2=Ly |first2=Angelica |last3=Katalinic |first3=Paula |last4=Coroneo |first4=Minas Theodore |last5=Chang |first5=Andrew |last6=Kalloniatis |first6=Michael |last7=Madigan |first7=Michele C. |last8=Nivison-Smith |first8=Lisa |date=2022-07-04 |title=Visualisation of peripheral retinal degenerations and anomalies with ocular imaging |journal=Seminars in Ophthalmology |volume=37 |issue=5 |pages=554–582 |doi=10.1080/08820538.2022.2039222 |issn=1744-5205 |pmid=35254953|hdl=1959.4/unsworks_83536 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> A retinal tuft is a gliotic degeneration of the retina composed of focal adhesions in the extracellular matrix joining the retina and the posterior hyaloid of the eye.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wang |first=Jay C. |date=2022-09-01 |title=The Evolution of a Vitreoretinal Tuft to an Operculated Hole |url=https://www.ophthalmologyretina.org/article/S2468-6530(22)00296-2/fulltext |journal=Ophthalmology Retina |language=English |volume=6 |issue=9 |pages=770 |doi=10.1016/j.oret.2022.06.004 |issn=2468-7219 |pmid=36084993|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=American Optometric Association |date=2004 |title=Care of the Patient with Retinal Detachment And Related Peripheral Vitreoretinal Disease |url=https://www.aoa.org/AOA/Documents/Practice%20Management/Clinical%20Guidelines/Consensus-based%20guidelines/Care%20of%20Patient%20with%20Retinal%20Detachment%20and%20Peripheral%20Vitreotretinal%20Disease.pdf |access-date=December 3, 2024}}</ref>

Retinal tufts are a common lesion of the retina; under 1% of these tufts are thought to lead to retinal detachment.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Lewis |first=Hilel |date=2003 |title=Peripheral retinal degenerations and the risk of retinal detachment |journal=American Journal of Ophthalmology |volume=136 |issue=1 |pages=155–160 |doi=10.1016/s0002-9394(03)00144-2 |issn=0002-9394 |pmid=12834683}}</ref> The risk of a retinal detachment from a retinal tuft has been estimated to be about 0.28%, and usually no treatment for this condition is necessary.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=OD |first=By Jay M. Haynie |title=Can We Pre-empt Damage from Retinal Detachment? |url=https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/can-we-preempt-damage-from-retinal-detachment |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=www.reviewofoptometry.com}}</ref>

Cystic retinal tufts affect 5% of the population and are thought to be a congenital abnormality in the retina.<ref name=":1" /> Cystic tufts are more commonly found under the vitreous base in the peripheral of the retina, but can also be found in other parts of the retina.<ref name=":2" /> In this condition, the retina can be stretched by the vitreous humor. Long term vitreous traction (stretching) of the retina is thought to be associated with increased risk of tears to the retina, or retinal detachment.<ref name=":2" /> Under a microscope looking at the histology of a cystic retinal tuft, an increase in glial cells, breaking down of the outer retina, and a loss in photoreceptor cells is often detected.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Byer |first=Norman E. |date=1981-10-01 |title=Cystic Retinal Tufts and Their Relationship to Retinal Detachment |url=https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/article-abstract/633961 |journal=Archives of Ophthalmology |volume=99 |issue=10 |pages=1788–1790 |doi=10.1001/archopht.1981.03930020662007 |pmid=7295127 |issn=0003-9950|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Classification == Retinal tufts can classified into three subtypes: cystic, non-cystic, and zonular traction retinal tufts.<ref name=":3" /> Cystic tufts are usually larger than 0.1mm in length.<ref name=":3" /> Non-cystic retinal tufts are usually shorter, less than 0.1mm in length and are often clustered together in a series of projections within the vitreous base.<ref name=":3" /> Zonular traction retinal tufts are usually made up of thin individual strands that are usually in the vitreous base and extend over the area where the rod and cone of the eye end (ora serrata).<ref name=":3" />

== Causes == Retinal tufts are related to pulling or traction of the vitreous humor. They are characterized by areas of gliotic degeneration on parts of the retina.<ref name=":2" /> ==Diagnosis== {{Empty section|date=October 2025}}

== Prognosis == Most retinal tufts are stable and do not change over time. Due to the traction that is placed on the vitreous humor, the retinal tuft may change in shape. Retinal tufts increase the risk of a retinal tear or a detached retina, although the risk is not high- 1% of tufts are thought to lead to retinal detachment.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /> In addition if there is retinal thinning near a zonular traction tuft, there is an increased risk of retinal detachment.<ref name=":3" />

Cystic tufts lead are often associated with an increased risk of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments.<ref name=":3" />

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:Eye diseases

Retinal tuft

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