Retinal function and loss of autofluorescence in stargardt disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between reduced retinal autofluorescence and the dense scotomas in Stargardt disease.


METHODS
Retrospective review of patients with Stargardt disease seen between 2000 and 2004 at a tertiary referral center.


METHODS
All 32 patients with Stargardt who underwent both autofluorescence (AF) imaging and scotoma mapping were included.


RESULTS
Forty-seven percent of eyes had dense scotomas corresponding to the areas of loss of AF (27% corresponding to the area of uniform loss of AF, and 20% corresponding to the area of uniform plus mottled loss of AF). Fifty-three percent of eyes did not have a good correlation of the dense scotoma with the area of loss of AF. Both eyes were judged to be in the same group in 75% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Areas of reduced AF are measurable, but are not equivalent to the area of dense scotoma in 53% of patients. Measures of retinal sensitivity and scotomas are necessary for defining retinal functional involvement in Stargardt disease.
Richard E. Hoover Rehabilitation Services for Low Vision and Blindness, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21204, USA. jsunness@alum.mit.edu
Janet S
JS
Sunness
Joshua N
JN
Steiner
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012607:Scotoma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058609:Visual Field Tests / Q000379:methods