Retinitis punctata albescens; a functional and diagnostic evaluation.

Abstract

Introduction Retinitis punctata is a tapetoretinal disorder characterized by an ophthalscopic picture of diffusely scattered white, dot-like lesions situated deep to the retinal vessels and associated with some impairment of night vision.* It is usually congenital or commences at an early age; the frequent occurrence of parental consanguinity suggests a recessive mode of inheritance. Pallor of the optic disc, reduction in caliber of the retinal vessels, and pigment deposition, either interspersed among the white spots or forming their core, are frequently reported. Functional manifestations may include decreased visual acuity, constriction of visual field, and alterations in color perception. The condition is usually stationary or very slowly progressive, but in some cases it may run a degenerative course similar to that of retinitis pigmentosa. In a critical review of the literature in 1910, Lauber3selected more than 25 cases of so-called retinitis punctata albescens and placed them in a