Retinal dystrophy associated with a postnatal amelanosis in the chicken.

Melanin pigmentation changes were studied in a mutant (delayed amelanotic) line of chickens characterized by a postnatal, spontaneous cutaneous amelanosis and a high incidence of blindness. Cutaneous pigment loss was accompanied by destruction of the choroidal melanocytes throughout the orbit. The presence of blindness appeared to be correlated with the histopathologic finding of severe degenerative changes in the pigment epithelium and neural retina first seen near the base of the pecten and progressing radially in irregular patterns.