[Ophthalmological monitoring protocol for patients treated with long-term antimalarials or vigabatrin].

Treatment with the antimalarials chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine rarely causes retinopathy. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine toxicity are untreatable and can progress to legal blindness. Since 1957, there has been a consensus on the need to monitor patients on long-term chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine therapy. Currently, the procedure for follow-up includes collection of patient information, complete ophthalmological exam with automated central perimetry, and retinal electrophysiology. Screening should take place before treatment or no more than 6 months after initiation of antimalarial therapy. During treatment, monitoring relative to the baseline should be at a frequency determined by whether there are risk factors for development of toxicity, such as a cumulative dose greater than 1.8 kg, a daily dose greater than 6.5mg of hydroxychloroquine/kg/day, concurrent or past ophthalmological diseases, hepatic or renal insufficiency, age older than 65 years, and chloroquine intake. Retinopathy can occur in the absence of risk factors. The risk/benefit ratio favors therapy despite the time and expense of screening. Vigabatrin (VGB) is an effective drug for treatment of epilepsy and has been used in the treatment of West syndrome and epilepsy resistant to other drugs. VGB treatment improves quality of life, but it can induce characteristic bilateral nasal visual field defects and changes in retinal electrophysiology. Currently, the recommended procedure is to screen these patients before treatment, if possible, with a complete ophthalmological exam including perimetry and retinal electrophysiology every 6 months. It may be necessary to rely on retinal electrophysiology since some patients may not be able to undergo perimetry. The risk/benefit ratio sill clearly favors VGB treatment. Patients whose seizure incidence is reduced and have only minimal visual changes could continue VGB with strict monitoring. The others must discontinue VGB.