Comments and Conclusions
• There exist a considerable number of disorders often classified under the heading of flecked retina” syndrome.6
• Fundus Albipunctatus, which exhibits marked hyper AF dots, has such a characteristic tundus appearance that it is virtually pathognomonic of the disorder.
• Stargardt Disease, Retinitis Punctata Albescens, Familial Benign Fleck Retina and Bietti Crystalline (RR #15) are also classified as belonging to the flecked retina” syndrome but each has both a different clinical presentation and genetic abnormality.
• The various forms of drusen are the most common white or yellow dots and spots encountered clinically and typically demonstrate only mild hyper AF or none at all.5
• Exudates, typically in the outer plexiform layer or Henle’s fiber layer, do not AF and are generally invisible with AF images.
• Both SD OCT (to identity the layer of the retina – (RR #44) and AF are quite helpful in the differential diagnosis of white or yellow dots, spots, flecks and other light colored lesions.
• Treatment of retinal dystrophy, specifically fundus albipunctatus, with oral 9-cis-(beta}-carotene has been proven to be effective.7