title: Crystalline deposits in the macula - tamoxifen maculopathy or macular telangiectasia?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tamoxifen citrate is an anti-estrogen agent used in the treatment of breast carcinoma. Crystalline maculopathy is a rare complication of tamoxifen therapy. The clinical picture resembles that of idiopathic macular telangiectasia (IMT) Type 2, which is a more common clinical entity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report a case of crystalline maculopathy secondary to tamoxifen and highlight the importance of the medical history and investigations in differentiating it from IMT Type 2.
  
  
  METHODS
  A diabetic female with a past history of breast carcinoma treated with tamoxifen came to the hospital for a routine eye check-up. Crystalline deposits were seen in the parafoveal region in both the eyes.The spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) showed foveal cysts in the inner retinal layer and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) were within normal limits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While tamoxifen maculopathy is reversible on stopping the therapy, IMT needs a long-term follow-up to monitor the potential risk of loss of vision due to choroidal neovascularization, hence necessitating the distinction between these two different clinical entities.
authors: Aravind Eye Hospital and Postgraduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Pondicherry, 605007 India.
authors: Roshija Khanal
authors: RK
authors: Rijal
authors: Chinmay
authors: C
authors: Nakhwa
authors: Manavi D
authors: MD
authors: Sindal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013684:Telangiectasis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D013629:Tamoxifen