title: Structural and functional changes associated with normal and abnormal fundus autofluorescence in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the structure and visual function of regions bordering the hyperautofluorescent ring/arcs in retinitis pigmentosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one retinitis pigmentosa patients (21 eyes) with rings/arcs and 21 normal individuals (21 eyes) were studied. Visual sensitivity in the central 10° was measured with microperimetry. Retinal structure was evaluated with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. The distance from the fovea to disruption/loss of the inner outer segment (IS/OS) junction and thicknesses of the total receptor plus retinal pigment epithelial complex and outer segment plus retinal pigment epithelial complex layers were measured. Results were compared with measurements of the distance from the fovea to the inner and outer borders of the ring/arc seen on fundus autofluorescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Disruption/loss of the inner outer segment junction occurred closer to the inner border of the ring/arc and it was closer to the fovea in eight eyes. For 19 eyes, outer segment plus and receptor plus RPE complex thicknesses were significantly decreased at locations closer to the fovea than the appearance of the inner border of hyperautofluorescence. Mean visual sensitivity was decreased inside, across, and outside the ring/arc by 3.5 ± 3.8, 8.9 ± 4.8, and 17.0 ± 2.4 dB, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Structural and functional changes can occur inside the hyperfluorescent ring/arc in retinitis pigmentosa.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA. vcg17@columbia.edu
authors: Vivienne C
authors: VC
authors: Greenstein
authors: Tobias
authors: T
authors: Duncker
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Holopigian
authors: Ronald E
authors: RE
authors: Carr
authors: Jonathan P
authors: JP
authors: Greenberg
authors: Stephen H
authors: SH
authors: Tsang
authors: Donald C
authors: DC
authors: Hood
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019721:Ophthalmoscopes; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000503:physiopathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*