A newly recognized maculopathy: benign symmetric oval-shaped foveal depigmentation.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize a newly recognized maculopathy, benign foveal depigmentation.


METHODS
Three patients with unusual foveal depigmentation were prospectively studied.


RESULTS
The patients were referred with a diagnosis of Stargardt's macular dystrophy. Ophthalmic examination revealed discrete, bilateral, symmetric, oval foveal depigmentation. This appeared to be at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium. These patients were followed for up to ten years with stable vision and no change in lesion size.


CONCLUSIONS
Benign foveal depigmentation is a maculopathy which has discrete, bilateral, symmetric, horizontally oval foveal depigmentation at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium. This appears to be visually benign.
Arend
O
O
University Eye Clinic of the Technical University Aachen, Germany.
Lyon
A T
AT
Weiter
J J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology*; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000473:pathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity