Progressive choroidal thinning (leptochoroid) and fundus depigmentation associated with checkpoint inhibitors

To report asymptomatic progressive fundus depigmentation and choroidal thinning in the absence of intraocular inflammation in a patient treated with checkpoint inhibitors.

A 69-year-old woman with metastatic cutaneous melanoma, treated with checkpoint inhibition (nivolumab, ipilimumab and pembrolizumab), developed asymptomatic progressive fundus depigmentation associated with choroidal thinning in both eyes over 26 months. Serial multimodal imaging was obtained over the study period including fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Over 26 months, the central choroidal thickness decreased by 34% (from 270μm to 92μm, mean between both eyes). Concurrently, central retinal thickness remained stable (206μm to 214μm, mean between both eyes). There were no findings of intraocular inflammation, subretinal fluid or retinal pigment epithelium disturbance. The patient reported no visual symptoms and maintained a visual acuity of 20/25+ in the right eye and 20/30 in the left eye throughout the observation period. Concurrently, cutaneous vitiligo and poliosis, inclusive of her periorbital dermis and eyelashes also developed.

Progressive fundus depigmentation and choroidal thinning can be observed with checkpoint inhibition in the absence of intraocular inflammation.