Clinicopathologic correlation of a prepapillary vascular loop.

The clinical, fluorescein angiographic, and histopathologic features of a prepapillary vascular loop are described in a patient whose eye was obtained postmortem. The prepapillary vascular loop communicated with the retinal arterial system and did not have an internal elastic lamina. It was supported by a connective tissue sheath that was lined by a cellular lamina. The cellular lamina was continuous with the inner retina, isolating the vascular loop from the vitreous. The histologic findings were correlated with the clinical examination and fluorescein angiography.