RETINAL PATTERN DYSTROPHY

Course overview

RETINAL PATTERN DYSTROPHIES REPRESENT SEVERAL DISEASES THAT INVOLVE A VARIETY OF PATTERNS OF PIGMENT DEPOSITION IN THE RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM (RPE) OF THE MACULA. GIVEN THE RPE'S CRITICAL ROLE IN WASTE REMOVAL, MANY PATTERN DYSTROPHIES FEATURE WASTE ACCUMULATION PRIMARILY OF LIPOFUSCIN. TYPICALLY, THESE DYSTROPHIES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A GOOD VISUAL PROGNOSIS; HOWEVER, THERE REMAINS A RISK FOR PROGRESSIVE CENTRAL VISION LOSS. PATTERN DYSTROPHIES ARE USUALLY INHERITED, OFTEN PRESENTING IN THE FOURTH AND FIFTH DECADES OF LIFE. THE DISEASE MAY PRESENT DIAGNOSTIC CONFUSION WHEN PRESENTING IN THE ELDERLY AND IS OFTEN CONFUSED FOR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION. TO ESTABLISH A CLEAR DIAGNOSIS OF RETINAL PATTERN DYSTROPHY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO APPROPRIATELY WORK UP AND FOLLOW THIS CONDITION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND MANAGEMENT OF RETINAL PATTERN DYSTROPHIES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN FOLLOWING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.