Fundus Autofluorescence in Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy (AZOOR)

Abstract

Purpose: : Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) derived from lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) has been recorded in patients with a wide variety of retinal diseases. It may detect RPE dysfunction earlier than ophthalmoscopy. By using FAF, we evaluated the retinal function in patients with acute zonal occult outer retinopathy (AZOOR) showing normal fundus appearance, compared to patients showing abnormal fundus appearance.

Methods: : Five eyes of 4 patients showing normal fundus appearance (4 females) were examined. The mean age was 35 years old (16-59). The mean duration from the onset was 33.8 months (2 weeks-84 months). The argon laser (488nm) was used for excitation and a wide band-pass filter with cut-off at 500nm was incorporated in the detector.

Results: : In patients with AZOOR showing normal fundus appearance, no abnormalities were detected in FAF images even in the retinal areas where mutifocal electroretinographic (ERG) responses and visual sensitivity were abnormal, though in patients with AZOOR showing abnormal fundus appearance, the RPE dysfunction was also revealed by FAF images.

Conclusions: : FAF images in patients with AZOOR showing normal fundus appearance were normal even in the acute phase or the late phase. Abnormal multifocal ERGs with normal FAF images suggest that the sensory retina is mainly affected with relatively preserved RPE in AZOOR.

Keywords: electroretinography: clinical • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)