Foveal lesions seen in retinitis pigmentosa

A total of 110 patients with retinitis pigmentosa were prospectively and consecutively evaluated for the presence of foveal lesions. Of these 69 (63 percent) patients showed one of two types of separate and distinct bilateral foveal lesions. Forty-seven (43 percent) patients had atrophic-appearing lesions of the retinal pigment epithelium within the fovea of both eyes, and an additional 22 (20 percent) patients showed bitalteral foveal cysts or partial-thickness holes. Of the 22 patients in this last group, 16 showed cystoid macular edema evident on fluorescein angiography.