Optical coherence tomography and macular phototoxicity

Ocular examinations and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed in three patients with retinal phototoxicity lesions. Fluorescein angiography depicted a window defect. OCT exhibited hyporeflectivity at the outer foveal retina and fragmentation of the inner reflective layers, corresponding to the junction between the inner and outer photoreceptor segments. Retinal damage after light exposure has a rapid onset and shows different patterns in OCT examination. OCT findings suggest that decreased visual acuity may be associated with full-thickness photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) involvement. OCT is a useful tool for objective assessment of retinal pathology in phototoxicity cases where fundus changes may be minimal or absent.