The nature and frequency of outer retinal disruption in idiopathic multifocal choroiditis associated with persistent fundus hyperautofluorescence

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and anatomic correlates for hyperautofluorescence related to outer retinal disruption in eyes with multifocal choroiditis (MFC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of MFC patients. RESULTS: Fifty-nine eyes from 37 patients were analyzed. Multimodal imaging was utilized to identify nine eyes (15.2%) of six patients with either transient (Group 1) or persistent (Group 2) regions of hyperautofluorescence associated with ellipsoid zone (EZ) disruption over intact retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Group 1 included four eyes (6.8%) of three patients in which the hyperautofluorescence and EZ loss resolved within a few months (range: 28 days to 125 days) and had intact overlying outer nuclear (ONL) and outer plexiform layers (OPL) (mean follow-up: 1.3 years). Group 2 included five eyes (8.5%) of three patients with regions of permanent EZ disruption associated with absent or reduced ONL and OPL (mean follow-up: 4.6 years). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperautofluorescence correlating with EZ disruption over intact RPE is a rare occurrence in MFC. Evaluating outer retinal integrity by optical coherence tomography may help identify eyes with potential for EZ restoration, which may have implications regarding treatment strategies.