Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2025
Author Spotlight: Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Published on: May 26, 2023
Clinical presentation and macular morphology in retinitis pigmentosa patients
Ogugua Ndubuisi Okonkwo1, Adekunle Olubola Hassan1, Chineze Thelma Agweye2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Foundation Hospital and Eye Foundation Retina Institute, Lagos, Nigeria.
Background:
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive, frequently used imaging technology that enables detailed viewing of retina anatomy. It is used to monitor disease progression in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) eyes, including detecting changes in retinal thickness.
Purpose:
The purpose of the study is to determine the clinical presentation and macular morphology in RP eyes using OCT imaging.
Methods:
A retrospective review of case records and OCT scans in eyes diagnosed with RP in two ophthalmic clinics in Nigeria. Biodata, Snellen best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), vertical cup-to-disc ratio (VCDR), and presence of maculopathy were determined. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22.0 (IBM Corp. Armonk, NY, USA).
Results:
Fifty-five eyes of 28 patients (18 males and 10 females), with a mean age of 47.16 ± 15.56 years (22-77 years), were studied. 40-49 years was the most frequent age group, 28.6%. Severe visual impairment occurred in 22% of eyes and myopia in 32%. Twenty-nine percent had undergone cataract surgery or had a significant cataract. The mean IOP was 11 mmHg, and the mean VCDR was 0.46. On OCT examination, macular atrophy was the most common finding in 74.5% of eyes, epiretinal membrane in 16.3%, cystoid macular edema in 7.3%, vitreomacular adhesion in 5.4%, and vitreomacular traction in 1.8%. There was no association between macular morphology, macular thickness, and BCVA (P = 0.155, P = 0.424).
Conclusion:
OCT provides information on macula structure in RP eyes. About 14.5% of eyes had a normal macula, while 85.5% had a maculopathy, confirming that RP eyes have a higher rate of maculopathy than non RP eyes. OCT evaluation of an RP eye should be a standard workup for the early detection of such maculopathy and monitoring for disease progression.
