The Nature and Frequency of Outer Retinal Disruption in Idiopathic Multifocal Choroiditis Associated With Persistent...

To describe the prevalence and anatomic correlates for hyperautofluorescence related to outer retinal disruption in eyes with multifocal choroiditis (MFC).

Retrospective review of MFC patients.

Fifty-nine eyes from 37 patients were analyzed. Multimodal imaging was utilized to identify nine eyes (15.2%) of six patients with either transient (Group 1) or persistent (Group 2) regions of hyperautofluorescence associated with ellipsoid zone (EZ) disruption over intact retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Group 1 included four eyes (6.8%) of three patients in which the hyperautofluorescence and EZ loss resolved within a few months (range: 28 days to 125 days) and had intact overlying outer nuclear (ONL) and outer plexiform layers (OPL) (mean follow-up: 1.3 years). Group 2 included five eyes (8.5%) of three patients with regions of permanent EZ disruption associated with absent or reduced ONL and OPL (mean follow-up: 4.6 years).

Hyperautofluorescence correlating with EZ disruption over intact RPE is a rare occurrence in MFC. Evaluating outer retinal integrity by optical coherence tomography may help identify eyes with potential for EZ restoration, which may have implications regarding treatment strategies. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2019;50:675-683.].