Abstract
Purpose: :
To investigate the characteristics of fundus autofluorescence in birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR).
Methods: :
Sixteen eyes of eight consecutive patients with BSCR (three men, five women) were evaluated with color and autofluorescence photography and optical coherence tomography.
Results: :
The eight patients ranged in age from 35 to 73 (mean 56.9 years). Of the 16 eyes, 11 eyes (69%) of six patients had retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy as evidenced by hypoautofluorescent regions. Some of the hypoautofluorescent areas corresponded to the hypopigmented birdshot lesions, but the others did not necessarily show a correspondence. Eight eyes (50%) of four patients showed linear hypoautofluorescent streaks along the retinal vessels, most of which corresponded to visible changes at the level of the RPE. Placoid hypoautofluorescence in the macula was seen in six eyes (38%) of three patients and was significantly correlated with best corrected visual acuity of 20/50 or less (P<0.05).
Conclusions: :
Autofluorescence photography demonstrated the RPE atrophy which was hard to see by other means of investigation. The areas of RPE atrophy did not necessarily correspond to the hypopigmented lesions, which suggested that both the choroid and the RPE can be independently affected. RPE atrophy in the macula may be an important cause of poor central visual acuity in eyes with BSCR.
Keywords: imaging/image analysis: clinical • retinal pigment epithelium • inflammation