The Eyes Have It: Congenital and Hereditary Systemic Diseases

Neurofibromatosis Type I: Lisch Nodules

The are melanotic hamartomas present in over 90% of patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 after age 6. They are hard to recognize without a biomicroscope and do not affect vision.

Other ophthalmic complications

Optic nerve and are found in 15% of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 patients. These are very indolent neoplasms that may not grow. In 50% of cases, they impair vision.

Treatment for growing optic pathway astrocytomas is radiation or chemotherapy. Both methods may halt growth, but reversal of vision loss is rare.

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 patients also get plexiform neurofibromas on the eyelids and glaucoma. When eyelid masses are present, 50% of patients have glaucoma.

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Originally created by Jonathan Trobe, M.D., University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center
© 2009 The Regents of the University of Michigan

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