Optical coherence tomography and multifocal electroretinogram findings in chronic solar retinopathy.

PURPOSE: To correlate the structural and functional retinal defects, which are induced photochemically in chronic solar retinopathy. DESIGN: Observational case report. METHODS: Four emmetropic eyes of two patients, previously diagnosed with chronic solar retinopathy, were evaluated by optical coherence tomography (OCT), multifocal electroretinography, and fluorescein angiography. RESULTS: Visual acuity ranged from 20/80 to 20/50 and all subjects had central and steady fixation. In all eyes, OCT demonstrated a hyporeflective space at the level of outer retinal and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layers, which was limited to the fovea. The foveal contour was preserved with normal vitreoretinal interface. Multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) trace array of the first-order kernel demonstrated attenuated responses extending to a larger area, the para- and perifovea. A foveal RPE window defect was angiographically evident in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: A model of centrifugal neuronal damage is proposed for chronic solar retinopathy, with more functional than structural neuroretinal defects