CAR Syndrome

In 1976, Sawyer and associates described the development of subacute blindness in three women who had a highly malignant form of cancer. In each patient pathologic study showed that the loss of vision was due to a complete loss of photoreceptor cells. These observers proposed that the photoreceptor cell degeneration was related to the malignant tumor. Although well-established in neurology, this published report introduced the concept of a remote effect of cancer on the visual system into the ophthalmic literature. This condition is now known as cancer-associated retinopathy or the CAR syndrome. Despite the fact that the diagnosis is straightforward, the rarity of this disorder and its uncertain pathogenesis cause It to be under recognized.