Peripapillary Staphyloma

Patients with ectasia of the outer layers of the eye may exhibit a posterior protrusion that appears on funduscopy as an area of deep excavation of the retina (posterior staphyloma). When it occurs around the optic disc, as in this case, it is termed a peripapillary staphyloma. This may occur in association with other optic nerve or posterior segment anomalies. This differs from a coloboma, which is a congenital absence of normally present intraocular contents due to failure of embryonic layer fusion. Disease/Diagnosis: Staphyloma.