Multimodal imaging of poppers maculopathy.

PURPOSE: To describe a case of poppers maculopathy by means of multimodal imaging.

METHODS

A 26-year-old male presented to our Department in April 2018 with a history of visual disturbances. He underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination, including optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, and ultra-widefield fundus photograph.

RESULTS

At baseline, the patient presented a visual acuity of 20/25 Snellen bilaterally, with an altered foveal reflex on funduscopic examination. Structural optical coherence tomography showed disruption of the outer retinal layers in both eyes. After 6-month observation, the status of the outer retinal layers on optical coherence tomography and his vision (20/20) appeared improved. In this occasion, we performed optical coherence tomography angiography that revealed clear and persisting choriocapillaris alterations. Upon further interrogation, he admitted the episodic use of poppers, hence leading to the diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that microvascular toxicity at the level of choriocapillaris may act as primary pathogenetic insult in poppers maculopathy.