Hyperautofluorescence in outer retinal layers thinning.

Purpose: To evaluate if paracentral hyperautofluorescence (HAF) retinal regions, which can be occasionally found and analyzed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), were related to retinal layer changes and to detect which layer was involved.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional and retrospective study. 648 OCT files were revised. OCTs that showed a paracentral HAF area by using the fundus autofluorescence imaging in Heidelberg Spectralis (Heidelberg Engineering, Germany) were selected. Then retinal layer morphology was analyzed observing OCT scans and a retinal thickness was measured.

Results: 31 patients were selected: 20 patients had chronic serous epitheliopathy (CSE), 8 patients had resolved central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), and 3 patients wet age related macular degeneration (ARMD). The HAF zones corresponded to areas of thickness reduction of the external hyporeflective band. In all these areas the retinal pigment epithelium was not atrophic and the neuroepithelium was more or less dystrophic. In particular the retinal thickness was 264 um, 232 um, and 243 um in wet ARMD, CSE, and CSC, respectively; the reduction was significant (P < 0.01) compared to the same area of the other eye.

Discussion: The presence of HAF imaging might be mostly due to a "window effect" rather than an accumulation of lipofuscin.