What is Coats’ disease? 

Coats’ disease is an abnormality of the eye’s blood vessels. This rare condition manifests as enlarged, twisted veins that may leak, limiting blood flow and oxygen to the retina. This leakage can damage the retina, which is the part of the eye that converts light into visual signals to the brain. 

Coats’ disease takes its name from Scottish ophthalmologist George Coats, who first wrote about the condition in 1908. It is most prevalent in young males, affecting three times more males than females. 

If left untreated, Coats’ disease may eventually lead to vision loss and even blindness.

Causes

There is no known cause of Coats’ disease. It is not hereditary – meaning parents cannot pass it on to their children. It is also not tied to a specific race or ethnic background. 

It is a very rare disease, with fewer than 200,000 cases in the United States. The exact number of cases is unknown.