Benign Yellow Dot Maculopathy in a Palestinian Child: A Case Report

Benign yellow dot maculopathy (BYDM) is a recently recognized macular phenotype, first described in 2017. It may occur sporadically or follow a familial pattern. The condition is characterized by a rare, asymptomatic, early-onset, nonprogressive maculopathy, with multiple yellow dots at the macula and minimal or no functional impairment. Owing to its benign and frequently asymptomatic course, this condition is likely underdiagnosed and underreported.

We report a 6-year-old Palestinian patient who was incidentally found to have bilateral, discrete yellow dots confined to the macular region, associated with reduced visual acuity. A comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation was performed. Multimodal imaging, including optical coherence tomography, demonstrated preserved retinal architecture, while electrophysiological testing showed normal global retinal function, supporting a benign, nonprogressive phenotype. Following careful exclusion of other inherited and acquired macular disorders, a diagnosis of BYDM was established.

This report documents a case of BYDM in a Palestinian patient and contributes to the limited existing literature on this rare macular phenotype. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case from a Palestinian patient. Recognition of this entity is important to avoid misdiagnosis, unnecessary investigations, and patient anxiety.