Abstract

The author reports on the case of a 20-year-old patient who shows the characteristic changes of the central vessels, described by Handmann in 1929 to be a "herditary degeneration - ppresumably congenital and glial - of the optic nerve in which the central vessels are particularly involved". The optic papilla of about normal size is surrounded here by a slightly protruding ridge, which shows separate pigmentary sediments on its edge. The retinal vessels arise out of the depth in increased number on the edge of the papilla. An excavation of the papilla cannot be seen. In its place a whitish-yellow mass surrounded by grayish-pink colored tissue is evident, which obstructs the view into the deeper layers. Kinkler described very similar cases in 1970 and named the characteristic changes "morning glory syndrome". However, in the cases he described, the papillas were apparently greatley enlarged. In addition to the changes in the papillary area and the vessel structure in our case, there are definite changes in the macula (on both sides). Due to the conspicuous distribution of vessels within the papillary region in the father of the patient, similar to those found in Handmann's anomaly of the nerve, the author believes that he can safely assume a developmental disturbance of the origin of the retinal vessels of the papillary area in this case also and that therefore a hereditary component of this developmental disturbance could be described for the first time since Handmann in 1929. In the kin which the author examined, a further apparently familial renal hypoplasia was noted.