[Research progress of outer retinal tabulation].

The outer retinal tubular structure (ORT) indicates a round or oval-shaped structure with a highly reflective border and a relatively low reflective lumen on spectrum-domain coherence tomography. ORTs are located in the outer nuclear layer accompanied by disruption and curling of the external limiting membrane and retinal pigment epithelial atrophy. Histopathological researches have revealed that ORTs are some kind of remodeling of the outer retina especially photoreceptors under pathological conditions, representing an advanced damage to the outer retina and a common final pathway of various retinal degenerative diseases. ORTs are common in neovascular age-related macular degeneration. They show some similarities in morphology with inter retinal fluid or cystoid edema on spectrum-domain coherence tomography, but they are not an indication for neovascular activity and retreatment. Their response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor is poor, and the visual prognosis is not optimistic. Therefore, raising awareness of ORTs is very important for guiding clinical treatment and judging prognosis. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56: 149-154).