Photoreceptor morphology and correlation with subretinal fluid chronicity associated with choroidal nevus

Subretinal fluid (SRF) can be associated with choroidal nevus and can cause progressive change in the morphology of overlying photoreceptors.

A retrospective observational study was performed using optical coherence tomography to assess nevus and SRF features, as well as photoreceptor morphology over time.

There were 232 choroidal nevi that presented with or developed SRF. Photoreceptor morphology at presentation was classified as normal (n=60, 26%), shaggy (elongated) (n=73, 31%), retracted (stalactite appearance) (n=76, 33%), or absent (n=23, 10%). There was a progression in photoreceptor morphology with increasing SRF chronicity (p=0.003). For nevus presenting with normal photoreceptors and later developed SRF (n=60), photoreceptors became shaggy in 29 (48%), retracted in 24 (40%), and absent in 7 (12%) after 15, 19 and 22 months, respectively. For nevus presenting with SRF and shaggy photoreceptors (n=73), progression to retracted photoreceptors occurred in 31 (42%) after a mean of 22 months; for nevus with SRF and retracted photoreceptors (n=76), progression to absent photoreceptors occurred in 19 (25%) after a mean of 34 months; and for nevus with absent photoreceptors (n=23), photoreceptor morphology showed no change after mean follow-up of 33 months. Risk of nevus growth to melanoma was not associated with photoreceptor morphology at presentation (p=0.19).

In eyes with choroidal nevus and SRF, there is a longitudinal evolution in photoreceptor morphology from normal to shaggy to retracted then absent with increasing SRF chronicity. SRF chronicity, as indicated by photoreceptor morphology on presentation, did not correlate with nevus growth to melanoma.