Double peeling and endolaser ablation for retinal detachment in von Hippel-Lindau disease

PURPOSE: To describe a successful surgical approach to macula-off retinal detachment in von Hippel-Lindau disease. OBSERVATIONS: A 28-year-old male with a history of von Hippel-Lindau disease presented to us with significant worsening of vision in his single functional eye after undergoing a cryotherapy and laser session for multiple retinal capillary hemangioblastomas. Given a tractional and exudative retinal detachment involving macula, we performed a vitrectomy, epiretinal membrane peeling, internal limiting membrane peeling, endophotocoagulation of all hemangioblastomas, and fluid-air exchange. Over 30 days, there was total resolution of retinal detachment and improvement of his vision. At 13-month follow-up, the patient exhibited anatomical and functional stability. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Double peeling and endolaser ablation may be an alternative treatment approach for patients with tractional and exudative retinal detachment in von-Hippel-Lindau disease.