Mini lesions in eclipse retinopathy

Ma Kai, Li Zhihua, Yao Ning

Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital

Objective: to observe the mini lesions in mild eclipse retinopathy.

Method: 4 patients (5 eyes) came to our hospital after the eclipse of July 2009, the clinical examinations including visual acrurity, stratus OCT, color fundus photography, autofluorescence, mutifocal electroretinogram and micropremiter.

Result: Three of the patients were affecteed unilaterally and the other one was affected bilaterally. The visual acuity were 12/20 to 16/20 in the first interview and three of them (4 eyes) recovered better than 20/20 in 1 to 3 months follow up. OCT showed distinct disruptions in the photoreceptor inner segment/outer segment junction and photoreceptor outer segments in all affected eyes and mini yellow spots could be seen in theses eyes. However there were no significant changes could be found in autofluorescence, mutifocal electroretinogram and micropremiter.

Conclusion: Sometimes stratus OCT was more sensitive than some functional examinations such as autofluorescence, mutifocal electroretinogram and micropremiter in detecting the mini lesions in the fovea. Although the macular changes and symptoms are usually reversible, residual defects at the level of the EPR can occur. For this reasons the most appropriate treatment is prevention by means of public awareness campaigns.