The golden tapetal sheen reflex in retinal disease

A mother and son with dominant cone dystrophy manifested the retinal reflexes seen in Oguchi's disease (mother) and the carrier female of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (son). Another patient with cone dystrophy (simplex) showed localized areas of a golden reflex in each eye. A patient with juvenile macular dystrophy exhibited a diffuse golden-orange reflex throughout the posterior pole. The latter two patients did not have the Mizuo phenomenon.     

Progressive cone dystrophy: electrophysiological changes in female carriers

The authors evaluated a family with X-linked progressive cone dystrophy and special attention was paid to female carriers. Twenty-four members of the family were examined. One generation II--male and five generation III--males were affected. Two generation II--females who, in each case had affected children, but who were asymptomatic, underwent electrophysiological evaluations. The electroretinograms were found to be subnormal in both patients with alterations of cone-mediated responses and color vision. The discovery of abnormalities in female carriers emphasized the necessity of systematically performing electroretinography, together with color vision testing and pedigree examination, when assessing so called sporadic cone dystrophy or in cases where the modes of inheritance are not clear.     

X-linked cone dystrophy

The cone dystrophies can be subdivided into 3 functional stages: central cone disease, peripheral cone disease and diffuse cone disease, respectively. In the patient material of our clinic the sex distribution of patients presenting with te diffuse cone disease stage was abnormal: 22 males and 3 females. The authors suggest that the diagnosis X-linked cone dystrophy often is overlooked.     

Late onset cone dystrophy

Cone dystrophies are a hereditary, progressive and heterogeneous group of retinal diseases with cone system degeneration. They lead to reduced visual acuity, colour vision impairment and photophobia. Full-field electroretinogram (ERG) reveals severe cone function impairment, with normal rod responses or slightly depressed in advanced stages in some cases. The purpose of the study was to present a case of late onset cone dystrophy in 47-year-old male and the proper diagnostic procedure. A 47-year-old patient presented with progressive visual loss for several years and mild photophobia, which he observed recently. The patient underwent fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, colour vision testing, Goldmann visual field testing, full-field electroretinogram (ERG) and multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG). Symptoms and signs of late onset cone dystrophy may be unclear and establishing the proper diagnosis may be difficult in these cases. Patients may be misdiagnosed as having other diseases, especially in case of absence or subtle changes in the macula. The electrophysiological testing is essential in these cases, and ERG is the most useful clinical test in early and differential diagnosis of retinal dystrophies.     

Peripheral cone dystrophy: a variant of cone dystrophy with predominant dysfunction in the peripheral cone system

PURPOSE: To determine the phenotype of 3 patients from 2 pedigrees with an unusual form of cone dystrophy in which the peripheral cone system is more affected than the central cone system, and whose rod system is relatively normal. DESIGN: Three observational case reports with electrophysiologic and psychophysical studies. METHODS: Three patients underwent fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, color vision testing, Goldmann visual field testing, full-field electroretinograms (ERGs), focal macular cone ERGs, and rod-cone perimetry, in addition to routine ophthalmologic examinations. Multifocal ERGs also were recorded from 2 patients. RESULTS: The fundus examination and fluorescein angiogram results essentially were normal except for a mild temporal pallor of the optic disc in 2 patients. The corrected visual acuity ranged from 20/16 to 20/100. Color vision was normal in 1 patient, but was abnormal in 2 patients. A relative paracentral scotoma was detected in 2 patients. Full-field ERG cone responses were reduced significantly, but rod responses were normal in all patients, as in patients with typical cone dystrophy. However, the focal macular cone ERGs were well preserved in all patients. Psychophysical rod-cone perimetry demonstrated that the peripheral cone system was impaired, whereas the rod sensitivity was completely normal. The results of the multifocal ERG in 2 patients supported the findings made by the full-field and focal macular ERGs. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that there is a subgroup of patients with cone dystrophy where the peripheral cone system is more affected than the central cone system.     

Berson test for blue cone monochromatism

The Berson test for blue cone monochromatism discriminates X-linked blue cone monochromatism from achromatopsia but not from X-linked progressive cone dystrophy.     

Case of cone dystrophy with normal fundus appearance associated with biallelic POC1B variants

Background: Biallelic variants of POC1B were recently reported to cause autosomal recessive non-syndromic cone dystrophy. However, the number of studies supporting this is limited, and the clinical phenotypes of cone dystrophy have not been definitively determined. The purpose of this study was to report the phenotype of a case of POC1B-associated cone dystrophy.

Materials and methods: The medical chart of one case diagnosed with cone dystrophy was reviewed.

Results: The patient was a 20-year-old Japanese man whose chief complaint was a progressive decrease in his central vision. His decimal best-corrected visual acuity was 0.2 for the right and 0.3 for the left. Fundus examinations showed no abnormalities. The photopic electroretinograms were nonrecordable, but the scotopic electroretinograms were within normal limits. Optical coherence tomography detected a blurry line in the region of the external limiting membrane and ellipsoid zone. Adaptive optics images showed sparsely distributed cone cells around the fovea. The patient was initially diagnosed with incomplete achromatopsia. Whole-exome sequence with targeted analysis identified new compound heterozygous mutations of c.G1355A (p R452Q) and c.C987A (pY329X) in the POC1B gene. The patient was then diagnosed with cone dystrophy.

Conclusions: The cone dystrophy associated with POC1B variants has features similar to achromatopsia, and genetic analyses is useful in discriminating these two diseases.     

Identification of novel RPGR ORF15 mutations in X-linked progressive cone-rod dystrophy (XLCORD) families

PURPOSE: To test the incidence of mutations in RPGR ORF15 in six families with X-linked progressive retinal degeneration (cone-rod dystrophy [XLCORD], macular or cone dystrophy) and to undertake a detailed phenotypic assessment of families in whom ORF15 mutations were identified. METHODS: To amplify and sequence ORF15 in its entirety, a cloning strategy was developed. Families with mutations in ORF15 underwent electrophysiological testing, color vision assessment, color fundus photography, and fundus autofluorescence (AF) imaging. RESULTS: Novel protein truncation mutations were identified in two families. In family A, a 2-bp mutation was identified in ORF15+A1094C G1095T, predicted to result in a truncated protein (E364D/E365X). In family B, a G-to-T transversion (ORF15+1176G>T) resulted in a nonsense mutation (G392X). Characteristics of phenotype in both families included progressive deterioration of central vision and subsequently night vision, mild photophobia, and moderate to high myopia. Ophthalmoscopic abnormalities were generally confined to the macula. A parafoveal ring of increased AF was observed, and electrophysiological evidence of a greater generalized abnormality in cone than rod responses were consistent with a cone-rod dystrophy phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: The cloning strategy for ORF15 facilitated comprehensive sequence analysis in patients. Two families were identified with nonsense mutations, and clinical evaluation revealed them both to have a similar phenotype. The presence of a parafoveal ring of increased AF was an early indicator of affected status in these families. No disease-causing mutations in ORF15 were detected in four other families, suggesting that ORF15 mutations may not be the most common cause of XLCORD.     

Progressive cone dystrophy and sensorineural hearing loss

A 39-year old man presented 13 years ago with a history of progressive loss of vision and photophobia. A full ophthalmological and ENT work-up during several years of follow-up, including psychophysical as well as electrophysiological tests, revealed a progressive cone dystrophy in combination with sensorineural hearing loss. His younger sister presented with very similar features and underwent the same work-up. A novel syndrome of progressive cone dystrophy and sensorineural hearing loss is described in both siblings. Both also suffered from non-ocular disease possibly related to ciliary dysfunction. The condition is likely to be inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.     

Clinical features and a follow-up study in a family with X-linked progressive cone-rod dystrophy.

PURPOSE: To study a large family with X-linked progressive cone-rod dystrophy. METHODS: There were 128 members in the family. Of these, 45 had an ophthalmological examination and 3 gave their permission to use the results of their recent ophthalmological examination. In addition to the usual eye examination, visual fields, colour vision, dark adaptation and electroretinogram (ERG) were examined. RESULTS: Ten affected men aged 6 to 81 years were found in the family. The visual acuities varied from counting fingers (cf) 10 cm to 0.5 in the right eye (RE) and from cf 30 cm to 0.4 in the left eye (LE). The refraction was myopic in all affected members, varying from -1.5 to -24.0 D (RE) and from -2.0 to -20.25 D (LE). In visual functions, central scotomas and concentric constriction in the visual fields, red or red-green defects in colour vision, abnormal cone and rod dark adaptation and affected cone response in ERG were found. The 6 obligate carriers were aged 17 to 77 years. Their visual acuities varied from 0.05 (strabismic amblyopia) to 1.25(RE) and from 0.7 to 1.25 (LE), and refraction from +/-0 to +6.0 D (RE) and from -0.5 to +5.0 D (LE). Their visual fields and colour vision were normal. The non-affected men were aged 13 to 55 years, their visual acuity was normal in both eyes, and refraction varied from -5.0 to +1.5 D (RE) and from -5.5 to +1.75 (LE). The result of the eye examination was normal except in colour vision: two men were congenitally deuteranomalous. The women who were not obligate carriers were aged 10 to 77 years, their visual acuity was from 0.3 to 1.6 in both eyes, and refraction from -5.5 to +4.75 (RE) and from -5.25 to +4.0 (LE). Two women had one amblyopic eye. Otherwise the eye examination was normal. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical diagnosis of X-linked cone dystrophy 1 (COD1) is based on progressive loss of visual acuity, moderate or high myopia, red colour vision defect and affected cone response or cone and rod response in ERG. The future identification of the COD1 gene will confirm the diagnosis of the disease and help in genetic counseling of the family.     

Achromatopsie

Hereditary cone diseases manifest as progressive or stationary disorders. Among the stationary cone disorders autosomal recessive achromatopsia occurs most frequently and begins within the first months of life with nystagmus and photophobia. Color discrimination is not possible, and visual acuity is severely reduced. In addition to a thorough ophthalmic examination, color vision tests and electrophysiology are prerequisites to establish a diagnosis of achromatopsia. A genetic examination is very helpful to distinguish achromatopsia from other stationary cone disorders like X-linked recessive blue cone monochromatism and from progressive cone and cone-rod dystrophies. It is the correct clinical and genetic diagnosis that eventually will allow an individual prognosis, accurate genetic counseling, and the optimal choice of low vision aids.     

Differential diagnosis of typical and atypical congenital achromatopsia

Summary Report on two patients whose symptoms suggested the presence of congenital achromatopsia. In one case there was indeed total colour blindness, but a normal photopic ERG. Here, achromatopsia is the present stage in a process of slow functional decay of the central retina. Most probably the underlying disorder is progressive foveal dystrophy, a central form of cone dystrophy. In the other case there was a nonrecordable photopic ERG, but trichromatic colour vision. This appears to be a another patient with oligo-cone trichromasy (general cone dysfunction without achromatopsia), as described by Van Lith.     

Color vision defect as first symptom of progressive cone-rod dystrophy

A 15-year-old girl complained of color vision difficulties and was found to have an acquired color vision defect with no other abnormalities in the eyes. After 9 years, in addition to the color vision defect, there was gradual loss of visual acuity in both eyes, small central scotomas in the visual fields, elevation of the cone and rod thresholds in the dark adaptation, and decreased response in the photopic and scotopic electroretinogram. The diagnosis of a progressive cone-rod dystrophy was made. It is unusual for cone-rod dystrophy to begin with a distinct color vision defect only; the case report is presented.     

Cone dystrophies with negative photopic electroretinogram.

A scotopic electroretinogram with an a-wave amplitude larger than the b-wave amplitude traditionally is termed 'negative'. Six male patients with negative photopic electroretinograms were examined; three of them suffered from progressive cone dystrophy, in which negative electroretinograms are unusual. Another patient without symptoms was the brother of a patient with cone dystrophy. These patients are compared with others who characteristically have negative electroretinograms-one patient with incomplete congenital stationary night blindness and another with X linked congenital retinoschisis. Differential diagnosis between these unusual cases of cone dystrophies and X linked retinoschisis or congenital stationary night blindness was possible with funduscopy, adaptometry, and evaluation of progression, but not with the electroretinogram. Inner retinal defects may occur in cone dystrophies as indicated by the negative electroretinogram. The waveform variations between our patients may be due to different inner retinal defects. The findings in two brothers indicate that cone dystrophy and inner retinal defects may be inherited separately.     

X-linked blue cone monochromatism. A familial case report

CLINICAL CASE: A family affected by X-linked blue cone monochromatism is presented. There are 4 male affected individuals and 9 female carriers. DISCUSSION: The diagnosis of blue cone monochromatism is based on severely affected color vision with preserved blue function, poor visual acuity, nystagmus, nearly absent photopic ERG, and a family pedigree compatible with X-linked inheritance. The female carriers showed normal visual function and ocular motility. It is important to be familiar with non progressive cone dysgenesis in order to make a genetic diagnosis of the illnesses in this group.     

Familiar case of granular dystrophy and oculocutaneous albinism

CLINICAL CASE: A 35-year-old female patient with blurred vision since childhood, for which no treatment had been given, presented with poor visual acuity. She had white skin and fair yellow hair. There were several well circumscribed deposits in the central and anterior corneal stroma, and iris transillumination and foveal hypoplasia were evident. The clinical diagnosis was oculo-cutaneous albinism and granular corneal dystrophy. We found oculo-cutaneous albinism in two brothers and granular dystrophy in three brothers, the mother and a son. DISCUSSION: Corneal dystrophy is an autosomal dominant disorder inherited independently of oculocutaneous albinism, which is inherited as an autosomal recessive condition. This is the first case report of granular dystrophy concurrent with oculocutaneous albinism.     

Progressive cone dystrophy with deutan genotype and phenotype

Purpose To study the electroretinographic signals originating in the long-wavelength-sensitive (L) and middle-wavelength-sensitive (M) cone pathways by means of large-field and multifocal cone type-specific electroretinograms (ERGs) in a patient with progressive cone dystrophy. Methods A 65-year-old male patient with colour vision disturbances (age at onset 10 years), loss of visual acuity (14 years), and central visual field defects (40 years) was investigated. Large-field flicker-ERG responses to stimuli that exclusively modulated the L-cones or the M-cones, or the two simultaneously (both in-phase and in counter-phase), were measured. Short-wavelength-sensitive (S) cones were not modulated. Multifocal ERGs (mfERGs) were also recorded, with a pattern-reversing display that modulated only the L- or the M-cones at equal cone contrasts and average quantal catches. Genetic analysis of L- and M-pigment genes was performed on genomic DNA isolated from peripheral venous blood. Results The patient showed a normal rod-driven ERG but reduced cone-driven electroretinographic amplitudes with normal implicit times in the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) standard ERG. The large-field flicker-ERG responses to pure L-cone modulation were significantly above noise level but were substantially reduced in comparison with both normal trichromatic subjects and (otherwise normal) deuteranopes. The L-cone driven electroretinographic implicit times and phases were within normal limits. The M-cone driven electroretinographic responses were not detectable. A model fit of all the L- and M-cone driven flicker-ERG data revealed that the responses were exclusively driven by the L-cones. Consistently, the cone type-specific mfERGs showed severely reduced but detectable responses to L-cone-isolating stimuli. The M-cone driven multifocal-ERG responses were undistinguishable from noise. The L- and M-pigment gene array consisted of only a single L-pigment gene. The complete coding sequence of this gene was determined and showed no abnormality. Conclusions This patient exhibits a coincidence of progressive cone dystrophy and deuteranopia. The molecular genetic data of the L/M-pigment gene array is consistent with the deutan phenotype. It cannot be excluded that the rearrangement of the X-chromosome pigment gene array is responsible for the cone dystrophy in this patient. It is, however, suggested that the dichromacy and the cone dystrophy have different and independent genetic origins. Parts of the results were presented at the meeting of the Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft 2004.     

儿童遗传性视网膜疾病的眼底自身荧光表现

目的 观察儿童遗传性视网膜疾病的眼底自身荧光(FAF)特征.方法 回顾性分析22例临床资料完整、年龄5～14岁之问的遗传性视网膜疾病患儿的FAF检查结果.其中,Best卵黄样病变8例16只眼,Stargardt病3例6只眼,视锥细胞营养不良3例6只眼,原发性视网膜色素变性(RP)5例10只眼,X连锁青少年型视网膜劈裂症3例6只眼.仔细询问现病史及家族史,行视力、裂隙灯显微镜眼前节检查,间接眼底镜检查,彩色眼底像和FAF照相,其中部分患儿接受了荧光素眼底血管造影(FFA)、视网膜电流图、眼电图、光相干断层扫描检查.对上述患儿的FAF结果特征进行归纳总结,并与其眼底照相和/或FFA结果进行比较分析.结果 3例Stargardt病患儿的6只眼及3例视锥细胞营养不良患儿的6只眼FAF检查显示黄斑区可见对称性的圆形、近圆形弱荧光或荧光缺如区,2例视锥细胞营养不良患儿的4只眼及1例Stargardt病患儿的2只眼可见弱荧光或荧光缺如区外缘环以强荧光;Best卵黄样病变患儿黄斑区可见一个强度均匀或不均匀的强FAF病灶;RP患儿后极部视网膜FAF增强,黄斑区周围可见宽度不等的环形强荧光带,拱环区FAF正常;3例X连锁青少年型视网膜劈裂症患儿中5只眼中心凹部位FAF检查可见蜂窝或颗粒状强荧光.结论 Stargardt病及视锥细胞营养不良患儿黄斑区为近圆形弱荧光,部分病变区外缘环以强荧光;Best卵黄样病变患儿黄斑区为强度均匀或不均匀的强FAF病灶;RP患儿后极部视网膜FAF增强,拱环区FAF正常,黄斑区周围可见宽度不等的环形强荧光带;X连锁青少年型视网膜劈裂症患儿中心凹部位为蜂窝或颗粒状强荧光.

Abstract：

Objective To observe the autofluorescence (AF) manifestation in children with hereditary retinal diseases. Methods The clinical data of 22 children (aged from 5 to 14 years) with hereditary retinal diseases were retrospectively analyzed. There were 8 children (16 eyes) with Best vitelliform macular dystrophy, 3 children (6 eyes) with Stargardt macular dystrophy, 3 children (6 eyes) with macular cone dystrophy, 5 children (10 eyes) with primary retinitis pigmentosa, and 3 children (6 eyes) with X-linked juvenile retinoschisis. The routine clinical examinations included present history, family history, visual acuity, silt-lamp microscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, color fundus photography and fundus autofluorescence angiography (FAF). Some patients received fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA),electroretinogram (ERG), electrooculogram (EOG), and ocular coherence tomography (OCT). The characteristics of AF in all the children were analyzed, and were compared with the images of color fundus and/or FFA. Results Symmetry round macular fluorescent weak or absent area was found in all Stargardt disease and cone dystrophy. Weak AF area with surrounded circular increased AF was found in 2 children (4 eyes) with cone dystrophy and 1 child (2 eyes) with Stargardt macular dystrophy. A central round area with regular or irregular intense AF was observed in Best vitelliform macular dystrophy. RP children showed increased AF out of the macular region. Cellular or granular strong AF was found in the fovea of 3 children (5 eyes) with X-linked juvenile retinoschisis. Conclusion The children with hereditary retinal diseases had special AF changes.     

Evolution of benign concentric annular macular dystrophy

In 1974, Deutman described a family with an autosomal dominantly inherited macular dystrophy that he termed "benign concentric annular macular (bull's-eye) dystrophy." Ten years later, we performed a follow-up examination. Some patients complained of deterioration of visual acuity, night vision, and color vision. The macular dystrophy had progressed. The fundus periphery was more involved and in two patients there were bone corpuscle-like pigmentations. Electrophysiologic examination showed increased photoreceptor dysfunction with equal involvement of the rod and cone system. The patients had an acquired type III blue-yellow color vision defect with pseudoprotanomaly.     

Progressive cone dystrophy associated with low alpha-L-fucosidase activity in serum and leukocytes

The enzyme activities of acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, and alpha-D-mannosidase were not significantly different in patients with myopia, retinal detachment, hereditary macular dystrophy, and unusual progressive cone dystrophy. alpha-L-Fucosidase activity in sera was lower in three patients with myopia and in two patients with unusual progressive cone dystrophy than in most of the others. Leukocytic alpha-L-fucosidase activity was lower in those with unusual progressive cone dystrophy. The two unrelated patients with unusual progressive cone dystrophy had slowly deteriorating visual acuity, color vision, and photopic electroretinographic responses, but ophthalmoscopically normal fundi and noncontributory family histories.