Status of papillomacular bundle in optic disc pit associated with maculopathy

To study the status of papillomacular bundle (PMB) in eyes with optic disc pit.

Electronical medical records and optical coherence tomography (OCT) data of patients with optic disc pit were retrospectively reviewed. The PMB defect was measured on structural en face OCT projections. Length of ellipsoid zone defect (EZD) in the centre of the macula was measured on a horizontal cross-sectional scan passing through the centre of the fovea. Correlation between parameters under study, central retinal thickness (CRT), and visual acuity was calculated.

Thirteen eyes of thirteen patients (seven males and six females, mean age 31.3 ± 11.6 years) with optic disc pit and maculopathy and two eyes of two patients without maculopathy (2 females, 21 and 23 years) were included. The defect of PMB was found in 12 out 13 eyes (92.3%) with maculopathy. In those eyes EZD was found in 11 out of 13 eyes (84.6%). Among 12 eyes with PMB defect, 11 eyes had EZD (92.6%), one eye had PMB defect without EZD, while no eyes had EZD without PMB defect (p = 0.01). Mean PMB defect width was 0.86 ± 0.64 mm. Mean length of EZD was 425 ± 423 µm. The length of EZD and PMB width were highly correlated (r = 0.71, p < 0.001). Two eyes without maculopathy demonstrated no papillomacular bundle defect.

Papillomacular bundle defect may be one of the essential characteristics in the optic disc pit with maculopathy and can be associated with the alteration of the central retina in these eyes.