title: Retinal changes in myotonic dystrophy. Clinical and follow-up evaluation.
abstract: Retinal changes in myotonic dystrophy include butterfly-shaped pigmentary changes in the macula, reticular pigmentary retinal changes in the midperiphery, and peripheral atrophic polygonal-shaped changes. To assess the prevalence and progressiveness of these changes in a large series, 49 patients with myotonic dystrophy were examined. Of the eyes studied, 26 (26.6%) had butterfly-shaped macular pigmentary changes, 24 (24.5%) had reticular pigmentary retinal changes, and 43 (43.9%) had peripheral atrophic polygonal-shaped changes. Ten patients (18 eyes) had two different types at once. Visual acuity was not severely affected. Electroretinographic examination showed diminished a and b wave amplitudes in eyes with and without retinal changes. Arden ratios on the electrooculogram were normal in 13 of 14 patients tested. During the follow-up period, which exceeded 5 years, 3 of 9 patients had newly developed or enlarged, patterned changes of the pigment epithelium. These results suggest that pigmentary retinal changes in patients with myotonic dystrophy are slowly progressive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kimizuka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiyosawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takase
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004585:Electrooculography; D004596:Electroretinography; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009223:Myotonic Dystrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity