Clinical Study
Eye (2009) 23, 304–308; doi:10.1038/sj.eye.6703076; published online 11 January 2008
Correlation between visual function and photoreceptor inner/outer segment junction in patients with retinitis pigmentosa
This report was presented at the 2007 ARVO annual meeting, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
S Aizawa1, Y Mitamura1, T Baba1, A Hagiwara1, K Ogata1 and S Yamamoto1
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
Correspondence: Y Mitamura, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. Tel: +81 43 226 2124; Fax: +81 43 227 1810; E-mail: ymita@faculty.chiba-u.jp
Received 25 September 2007; Revised 24 November 2007; Accepted 24 November 2007; Published online 11 January 2008.
Abstract
Purpose
To determine whether a significant correlation exists between the visual acuity or foveal thickness and the status of the inner and outer segment junction (IS/OS) of the photoreceptor in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
Methods
Three hundred eyes of 163 patients with RP were examined with the optical coherence tomography (OCT). The IS/OS appeared as a distinct, highly reflective line just vitread of the retinal pigment epithelium in the OCT3 images. The IS/OS line was graded into three groups. The correlations between the grade of the IS/OS and age, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and central foveal thickness (CFT) were determined.
Results
Grade 1 included 93 eyes (31.0%) in which an IS/OS line was not seen, Grade 2 included 67 eyes (22.3%) with an abnormal IS/OS, and Grade 3 included 140 eyes (46.7%) with a normal IS/OS. The correlation between the IS/OS grade and age was not significant (P=0.5536). The IS/OS grade was significantly correlated with BCVA and CFT (both P<0.0001). The BCVA was significantly better in Grade 3 eyes than Grades 1 and 2 (both P<0.0001). The CFT was significantly thinner in Grade 1 eyes than in Grades 2 and 3 (both P<0.0001). In Grade 3, the mean length of the IS/OS was 2.51
1.42 mm (SD). The length of the IS/OS was significantly correlated with the BCVA (P<0.0001, r=-0.375).
Conclusions
The presence of the IS/OS was associated with better visual acuity and thicker fovea in RP patients. The absence of an IS/OS may reflect a foveal dysfunction in RP patients.
Keywords:
photoreceptor inner and outer segment junction, retinitis pigmentosa, visual function, optical coherence tomography
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