Long-term Choroidal Thickness Changes After Acute Solar Retinopathy.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Choroidal Imaging

Background:

• Solar retinopathy is a condition caused by exposure to intense light.
• Understanding its long-term ocular effects is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate long-term alterations in choroidal thickness following solar retinopathy.
• To assess the impact of solar retinopathy on retinal and choroidal structures.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated 25 eyes of 25 men diagnosed with acute solar retinopathy.
• Utilized spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) for retinal and choroidal thickness measurements.
• Assessed best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and performed ocular examinations.

Main Results:

• Mean follow-up duration was 6.1 months.
• Initial BCVA decreased in affected eyes but significantly improved by 6 months (P < .001).
• Significant decrease in mean macular thickness and volume at 1 month, with a notable increase in mean choroidal thickness (P < .001).

Conclusions:

• Solar retinopathy leads to significant changes in both retinal and choroidal thickness.
• The observed choroidal thickness changes indicate that the effects of solar retinopathy may extend beyond the retinal layers.