Bilayered Retinoschisis during non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy

Objective: To report an unusual optical coherence tomography (OCT) finding, bilayered retinoschisis formation in the macular region, during non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Methods: This is a case report of a patient with NAION and an unusual OCT finding, bilayered retinoschisis formation. Results: A 62-year-old female presented with decreased visual acuity in her right eye for one year. The best-corrected visual acuity was determined as 20/ 160 and no abnormal anterior segment finding was found in the slit-lamb biomicroscopy. A pale optic disc was detected and a widespread peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning was observed in the fundus evaluation. In the macula OCT evaluation, retinoschisis and microcyst formations at the outer nuclear layer (ONL) in the central macula and additional retinoschisis formation at the inner nuclear layer (INL) in the temporal macula were observed. Conclusion: As far as we know, this is the first report to demonstrate an unusual co-existence of NAION and retinoschisis that also has an unusual formation. The clinicians should be informed of the possible effects of NAION on the macula in the course of the disease.