Progress in Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy

Background and purpose: At present, ophthalmologists knows acute zonal occult outer retinopathy（AZOOR）is a group of characteristic clinical lesions. However, to date there are still many mechanisms is not very clear, many authors still do not understand right about it, and there is no accurate histopathology confirmed the clinical pathological features. In this paper, we reviewed recent literature and summarized their characteristics.
Methods: Retrospectively reviewed the literature about AZOOR both in Chinese and in English.
Results: From 2000,more than 20 articles reported in the literature related to AZOOR were found, which described a total of 94 cases of AZOOR confirmed cases, including 70 cases of women (74%), male 24 cases (26%), with an average age of 35.4 (土8.8) years (range from 22 -74 years). 39 patients with a history of more detailed information. There were 59 cases (63%) unilaterally and 35 cases (37%) bilaterally. All patients had a visual field change is reflected mainly in blind-spot enlargement (49%) and central scotoma (36%). 71 cases (75%) patients have photopsia. The average visual acuity of 0.6 (土0.375). 27 cases of Gass claims AZOOR was in type Ⅰ, others in type Ⅱ. One case isolated candida in conjunctiva biopsy. One case complicated with MS (multiple sclerosis, multiple sclerosis), one case complicated by GVHD (Graft-versus-host disease). Ophthalmoscope examination showed 15% eyes abnormal. Electrophysiology showed 85 cases (90%) abnormalities, mainly a-wave b-wave amplitude was decreased, and 2 cases are not recorded waveforms. With the new OCT, the report of 16 patients, 4 cases of male and 11 female patients, of which 15 cases showed that morphological changes of the retina, mainly retinal photoreceptor cell layer of inn and outersegment defect, and visual field defects corresponding to the region. OCT examination of the contralateral eyes with normal vision showed morphological changes suggested that the morphological changes previous to the symptoms.
Conclusion: AZOOR is still a female-dominated, and with photopsia, typical visual field defect and ERG abnormalities as the main clinical manifestations of a group of diseases, fundus in some patients without any positive signs. OCT examination as a new toolcan identify the location of lesions in the outer layer of photoreceptors.