Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Classification
Genetic
| Classification
|
Clinical Manifestations
|
| Nyctalopia
|
- Occurs early on during the clinical course of Retinitis Pigmentosa.
- Night blindness occurs due to the loss of rod function.
- Nyctalopia can be an indicator of the eventually clinical severity of the complications associated with retinitis.
- Early onset of severe complications typically indicates more severe complications later on during the clinical course.
|
| Fundus
|
- Defective rod cell response, although fundus appears normal
- Arteriolar narrowing
- Intraretinal pigmentation
- Loss of pigment in pigment epithelium
- Intraretinal clumping due to the accumulation of melanin
|
| Visual acuity
|
- Macular lesions
- Defective cone cell function
- Loss of central acuity
|
| Sector RP
|
- Changes may be observed in specific halves or quadrants of the fundus
- Less severe defects in the visual field
- Sectorial disease with the long term potential of widespread disease
|
| Retinitis Pigmentosa and Pregnancy
|
- Women previously diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa may report an overall decrease in vision during pregnancy.
|
Infectious Agents
| Infectious Agent
|
Clinical Manifestations
|
| Cytomegalovirus
|
- Physical evidence of a cytomegalovirus presence in one of both eyes will generally clinical present in the form of lesions, adjacent retinal vessels.
- These lesions may impinge upon the fovea and the optic nerve. Furthermore they are usually discovered in close proximity to both.
- Further extending legions may be present in close proximity to the vortex veins as well as the ora serrata.[1]
|
| Tuberculosis
|
- Caseating granulomas
- Multiple choroidal tubercles- small grayish nodules located on the posterior pole of the eye
- Yellow necrotizing granulomas[1]|-
|
Visual acuity
|
- Macular lesions
- Defective cone cell function
- Loss of central acuity
|
| Fungal
|
Candida albicans
- Visibly hazy vitreous
- White circumscribed lesions[1]
Aspergillus fumigatus
- Yellow subretinal infiltrates
- Retinal infiltrates
- Fungal hyphae are located throughout the eye - suggestive of pulmonary involvement[1]
Cryptococcus neoformans
- Yellowish-white lesions located on the fundus of the eye
- Mutton-fat keratic precipitates[1]
|
| Toxoplasmosis
|
- Localized areas of infiltrate
- Active lesions are adjacent to initial scarring[1]
|
| Syphilis
|
- Hemorrhagic areas
- Flare visible in anterior and posterior portions[1]
|
References