Multimodal imaging in phototoxic maculopathy: description of findings in a series of 12 patients.

OBJECTIVE

To study the differences between solar retinopathy (SR) and the maculopathy produced by laser pointer (LPM) using multimodal imaging.

METHOD

A retrospective series is presented of 20 eyes of 12 patients with injuries associated with light, 7 with SR-compatible injuries, and 5 with LPM. At diagnosis, a complete ophthalmological examination was performed, including visual acuity (VA), retinography, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). The patients were followed-up for a mean period of 20 months.

RESULTS

LPM is common in paediatrics (mean age 15.60±1.5years), and SR affects patients of all ages (mean age 47.56±1.51years). VA at diagnosis in LPM is greater, and recovery is more complete than in solar retinopathy. In conventional retinography, SR is shown as a single lesion in the macular area (100% of cases), while LPM usually presents as multifocal lesions (86% of cases). Infrared reflectance makes this difference clearer. The main sign in OCT is the disruption of the ellipsoid layer and interdigitation zone. This sign is maintained over time, and its size is greater in the SR than in the LPM. Hyper-reflective columns and hyper-reflective reaction of the retinal pigment epithelium are associated with the acute phase.

CONCLUSIONS

LPM and SR show significant differences in the type of patient affected, as well as in the signs in multimodal imaging, as well as in functional impairment and their evolution.