A multimodal study and management of retinitis punctata albescens

Purpose: To study disease progression and visual function in a patient with retinitis punctata albescens (RPA). Method: Observational case report. The retinaldehyde-binding protein 1 gene (RLBP1) was analyzed by direct genomic sequencing. A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed. Results: Mutations in the RLBP1 gene were identified in the patient. The patient's fundus (OF) showed numerous white dots with diffuse retinal mottling. Her visual function deteriorated progressively during the follow-up. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) demonstrated bilateral cystic macular edema that worsened if the patient stopped dorzolamide topical therapy. Conclusions: The multimodal study is useful in the characterization of retinal dystrophies, in association with neurophysiological tests. Degenerative changes of the outer retina were detected by OCT. Abbreviations: RPA = Retinitis punctata albescens, RP = retinitis pigmentosa, IOP = Intraocular Pressure, BCVA = Best Corrected Visual Acuity, OD = right eye, OS = left eye, OU = both eyes, BMC = biomicroscopy, AF = autofluorescence, OF = ocular fundus, ERG = electroretinogram, OCT = optical coherence tomography, VF = visual field, VEP = visual evoked potentials, CME = cystic macular edema, MD = mean deviation, RLBP1 = retinaldehyde-binding protein 1.