Delayed rod dark adaptation in patients with Stargardt's disease.
Twelve patients with Stargardt's dystrophy were each found to have a prolongation in rod dark adaptation. All had a normal rate of recovery during the early portion of rod dark adaptation but a selective prolongation of the later segment of rod recovery. This observation was apparent in patients with limited fundus flecks and those with extensive fundus flecks, whether or not a dark choroid was observed and independent of the presence or absence of an atrophic-appearing macular lesion. A defect within retinal pigment epithelial cells of an enzyme or intracellular transport mechanism involved in the visual pigment regeneration cycle could account for these findings.
Fishman
G A
GA
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Chicago 60612.
Farbman
J S
JS
Alexander
K R
KR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003623:Dark Adaptation; D005260:Female; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014794:Visual Fields