A case of recurrent, self-inflicted handheld laser retinopathy

Abstract

A 17-year-old young man presented with vision loss and discrete, bilateral foveal lesions. The patient returned 6 weeks later with worsening vision, prominent bilateral retinal lesions, and a full-thickness macular hole in the right eye consistent with recurrent self-inflicted handheld laser retinopathy. After instructing the family to remove the patient's access to laser pointers, follow-up examination revealed spontaneous closure of the macular hole but minimal vision improvement. Recurrent ocular exposure to handheld lasers can masquerade as an organic process in patients who withhold pertinent history. Clinicians should rely on the distinguishing features seen on examination and multimodal imaging to make the diagnosis of handheld laser retinopathy.