[Eclipse retinopathy : A case series after the partial solar eclipse on 20 March 2015]

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Solar retinopathy is macula damage from intense solar radiation, often seen after solar eclipses.
• This study describes morphological changes and clinical course in acute solar retinopathy.

Observation:

• Retrospective analysis of 12 eyes from 7 patients after a 2015 solar eclipse.
• Patients' best corrected visual acuity, fundus changes, and SD-OCT findings were analyzed.
• Five patients received prednisolone treatment.

Findings:

• Initial visual acuity averaged 0.65, with fundoscopy showing foveal lesions.
• SD-OCT revealed disrupted foveola layers in the acute stage.
• Follow-up showed partial resolution, with a persistent ellipsoid zone defect noted on SD-OCT, and visual acuity improved to 0.97.

Implications:

• SD-OCT is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring solar retinopathy.
• Acute solar retinopathy presents with foveolar disruption visible on SD-OCT.
• Long-term follow-up reveals persistent ellipsoid zone defects despite visual recovery.