Propranolol Proves Effective for Periocular Hemangiomas
April 28th, 2014; posted by: WeBleed staff
In an article just released this morning by the American Academy of Pediatrics the efficacy of the different treatments for periocular hemangioma were discussed. A periocular hemangioma is a capillary hemangioma that forms around the eyes in young children, particularly infants, and can cause serious problems with vision – up to loss of vision.
A hemangioma is a benign and usually self-involuting (meaning it shrinks back to normal size on its own) tumor that appears during the first weeks of life. Many of these tumors are gone within months of first appearance but some take longer to fade away. Most patients report that their hemangiomas have dissipated by puberty.
Periocular hemangiomas can cause what is known as an amblyopia (often referred to as a lazy eye) in one of two ways: 1.) by blocking vision completely or 2.) by blurring vision significantly. Either method can cause the developing infant to favor one eye over the other to the point of vision loss or astigmatism.
According to AAP News, Propranolol has proven remarkably effective when compared with corticosteroids in the treatment of hemangiomas. The majority of patients see a “rapid and dramatic” response.
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Image source: Online Journal of Ophthalmology
