BACKGROUND: The course of Purtscher's retinopathy (PR) or Purtscher-like retinopathy (P-lR) is dependent on time, length, and expression of confluent cotton-wool spots. To correlate the course of the disease with findings of optical coherence tomography (OCT), we present two extreme courses of PR and P-lR. METHODS: Complete ophthalmological examination plus electroretinography (ERG) and OCT were performed. In the first case the follow-up was carried out until complete resorption of the edema and in the second case 8 years after the occurrence of P-lR. RESULTS: An increase of the central retinal thickness (308-430 microm was observed during the acute phase of PR. Normalization of visual acuity and central retinal thickness to 210-273 microm with an ERG within normal limits (35 ms) was achieved after 8 weeks. In the course of P-lR the marked edema was visible even after 6 months and a markedly reduced neuroretina (112-120 microm) was measured after 8 years. CONCLUSIONS: Retinal thickness analysis correlates well with organic functions in the cases of PR or P-lR. Fast reduction of the edema was associated with a good prognosis for visual acuity.
BACKGROUND: The course of Purtscher's retinopathy (PR) or Purtscher-like retinopathy (P-lR) is dependent on time, length, and expression of confluent cotton-wool spots. To correlate the course of the disease with findings of optical coherence tomography (OCT), we present two extreme courses of PR and P-lR. METHODS: Complete ophthalmological examination plus electroretinography (ERG) and OCT were performed. In the first case the follow-up was carried out until complete resorption of the edema and in the second case 8 years after the occurrence of P-lR. RESULTS: An increase of the central retinal thickness (308-430 microm was observed during the acute phase of PR. Normalization of visual acuity and central retinal thickness to 210-273 microm with an ERG within normal limits (35 ms) was achieved after 8 weeks. In the course of P-lR the marked edema was visible even after 6 months and a markedly reduced neuroretina (112-120 microm) was measured after 8 years. CONCLUSIONS: Retinal thickness analysis correlates well with organic functions in the cases of PR or P-lR. Fast reduction of the edema was associated with a good prognosis for visual acuity.