Vitreous fluorophotometry studies in retinitis pigmentosa.

Six patients with various genetic types of retinitis pigmentosa and ten carriers of the X-linked recessive type were studied by vitreous fluorophotometry. Kinetic vitreous fluorophotometry showed an alteration of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) in patients with retinitis pigmentosa, even in those who had minimal fundoscopic abnormalities and only minor changes on the electroretinogram. Furthermore, an alteration of the BRB could be detected in the carriers of the X-linked recessive form of retinitis pigmentosa. In general, higher concentration of fluorescein in the vitreous correlated topographically with the extent of photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelial disease, as well as with the presence of leakage from retinal capillaries.