Photic injury to the retina and the manifestation of acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy.

Findings in retinas of animals suggest a correlation between the pathological process of certain hereditary dystrophic diseases and the effect of light on the retina. One may speculate whether clinical conditions exist--apart from hereditary retinal dystrophies--in which the retina becomes more sensitive to light from strong artificial or natural sources, which are otherwise innoxious. Two case histories will be presented, clinically diagnosed as acute posterior multi-focal placoid pigment epitheliopathy in which a direct relationship seems to exist between the appearance of the fundus changes and the light impact. The role of electrodiagnostic procedures in the differential diagnosis will be discussed.