Abstract
Purpose:
To study the changes in the outer retinal microstructures during six months after the onset of acute zonal occult outer retinopathy(AZOOR)-complex by spectral-domain optical coherense tomography(SD-OCT).
Methods:
Seventeen eyes of 17 patients were studied. The outer retinal microstructure was evaluated in the horizontal SD-OCT images at the first visit and at six months later. The integrity of three lines (the ELM, IS/OS, and COST line) was divided into three types; "continuous", "discontinuous", and "absent". The integrity of the ONL was also assessed.
Results:
At first visit, the ELM was continuous in 6 eyes, discontinuous in nine eyes, and absent in two eyes. The IS/OS junction was continuous in 1 eye, discontinuous in eleven eyes, and absent in five eyes. The COST line was discontinuous in 2 eyes, and absent in fifteen eyes. At six months, the ELM was continuous in 14 eyes, discontinuous in two eyes, and absent in one eye. The IS/OS junction was continuous in 15 eyes, and absent in two eyes. The COST line was continuous in three eyes, discontinuous in six eyes, and absent in eight eyes. Three eyes had retinal areas where the ONL was absent at the first visit, and there was no recovery in both the retinal structures and visual fields in these areas. Fifteen of 17 eyes showed recovery of at least one of the three lines at six months, and these eyes showed an improvement of visual field.
Conclusions:
We noted that among the three lines of the outer retina, the COST line was the most vulnerable at the first visit, and was also most difficult to recover. Approximately 90% eyes showed some recovery of at least one of the three lines during the six months after the first visit. We conclude that SD-OCT was useful for monitoring the changes in outer retinal microstructure of eyes with AZOOR-complex.
Keywords: 550 imaging/image analysis: clinical •
688 retina •
689 retina: distal (photoreceptors, horizontal cells, bipolar cells)