[Retinitis pigmentosa with uveal effusion syndrome, a case report]

We reported a 65 year old female patient with retinitis pigmentosa accompanied by unilateral uveal effusion syndrome. Reduction in visual acuity and loss of depth of the anterior chamber were followed by peripheral choroidal detachment and then by retinal detachment. Subretinal fluid shifted to the lower part of the fundus for a short period and easily shifted to the posterior pole in a supine position. The axial length of both eyes was 21.3 mm. Fluorescein angiography revealed no definite points of leakage or abnormally dilated vessels. Chorioretinal detachment gradually disappeared with systemic steroid therapy. After that two recurrences, both of which were accompanied with loss of depth of the anterior chamber, we found during a follow-up period of two years. We thought this combination of retinitis pigmentosa and uveal effusion syndrome to be incidental. Since the exudative fluid easily accumulated in the subretinal space and shifted according to the head position, retinochoroidal adherence in retinitis pigmentosa may not be so strong as previously presumed.