Título / Title

PIGMENTARY RETINITIS: A CASE REPORT

Introdução / Purpose

Pigmentary retinitis is a heterogeneous group of rare genetic eye diseases in which the cones or rods are prevalently damaged. It is the most common hereditary cause of blindness in people between 20 to 60 years of age.

Material e Método / Methods

Description of clinical case of pigmentary retinitis through the analysis of electronic medical records and complementary tests.

Resultados / Results

MMS, female, 51 years old, with complaint of low peripheral visual acuity in both eyes which started 03 years ago, diagnosed with pigmentary retinitis. She refers that the visual acuity got worst in the last months, especially in the right eye. The patient presented better corrected visual acuity in the right eye 20/40 and in the left eye 20/30. Biomicroscopy demonstrates shallow anterior chamber, cataract and dispersed pigments of iris. The fundoscopy showed in both eyes excavation of 0,6, macula with preserved brightness, applied and rarefied retina with diffuse bony spicules sparing the region of the fovea. Campimetry examination demonstrates a profound reduction of retinal sensitivity with island of central vision. Aware of her diagnosis, the patient will undergo an annual follow-up with the retinal team.

Discussão e Conclusões / Conclusion

Pigmentary retinitis is a disorder with dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium and progressive loss of photoreceptors. It manifests with nyctalopia and loss of the peripheral visual field that can progress to blindness. Despite of good visual acuity, the patient presents an island of central vision, matching the clinical signs of the disease. He did not present glaucoma, despite being a common association. As there is no curative treatment, the patient will undergo a regular follow up in order to prevent the disease progression. In this case, due to the late diagnosis, the patient has already reached a high level of visual injury. Therefore, early diagnosis is essential for a better prognosis.

Palavras Chave

Pigmentary retinitis; photoreceptors; visual field; visual acuity