Monitoring cystoid macular edema by optical coherence tomography in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the value of optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging in the diagnosis and monitoring of cystoid macular edema (CME) in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).


METHODS
Prospective, noncomparative, small case series.


METHODS
Three patients with RP and cystic-appearing spaces in the macula on OCT images.


METHODS
All 3 patients were treated with a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, and 1 also received topical and systemic steroids.


METHODS
Changes in OCT images, fluorescein angiography, and best-corrected visual acuity (VA).


RESULTS
Although foveal cysticlike spaces were evident on OCT images in all 3 patients, only 1 patient showed CME on fluorescein angiography at baseline. Two of the 3 patients showed funduscopic evidence of macular cystic lesions, whereas a third showed no clinically evident fundus changes in the macula. Optical coherence tomography images documented improvement in the cystic-appearing spaces after treatment with the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. Changes on fluorescein angiography were either not apparent or considerably less apparent. An improvement of > or =1 line on a Snellen acuity chart was recorded in 2 patients, whereas a third showed no change of VA in either eye.


CONCLUSIONS
Optical coherence tomography is a potential method for the diagnosis and monitoring of CME in patients with RP. It was more sensitive in this regard than either fluorescein angiography or funduscopic examination.
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
Marsha A
MA
Apushkin
Gerald A
GA
Fishman
Mark J
MJ
Janowicz
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002257:Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D014792:Visual Acuity
D002257:Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors; D005938:Glucocorticoids