Grouped-type congenital pigmented nevi of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) or bear tracks is a rare congenital condition characterized by well-demarcated, hyperpigmented, flat, variably-sized RPE lesions, resembling bear footprints.
Histopathologically, these lesions are similar to congenital hypertrophy of the RPE (CHRPE), with an increased number of pigment granules in normal-sized RPE cells.
These lesions are benign and cause no visual symptoms.
Learning Points:
Bear tracks should not be mistaken for the comet-shaped lesions in familial adenomatous polyposis (Gardner’s syndrome), which are associated with intestinal polyps and cancer.
