Changes of fundus autofluorescence and spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic findings after treatment of primary intraocular lymphoma

BACKGROUND: We report the fundus autofluorescence (FAF), spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic (SD-OCT), microperimetric, and multifocal electroretinographic (mfERG) findings before, during, and after successful treatment of a primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL). FINDINGS: A 57-year-old man had biopsy-proven PIOL in his left eye, and he was treated with intravitreal methotrexate injections for 8 months. Before treatment, fundus examination disclosed many small, yellow lesions with distinct boundaries in the posterior fundus which became atrophic 9 months after the initial treatment. FAF showed a pattern of granular hypoautofluorescence and hyperautofluorescence before the treatments and patchy hypoautofluorescence corresponding to retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) atrophy after the treatments. SD-OCT showed increased nodularity at the level of and above the RPE, a separation of Bruch membrane from the RPE, partial damage of the RPE, disruption of the photoreceptor inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junction, multiple hyperreflective signals in the inner retina, foveal thinning, and parafoveal thickening. After treatment, the hyperreflective infiltrations in the inner retina were markedly decreased, and the RPE and IS/OS junction were restored. The foveal thinning and parafoveal thickening resolved, and the central choroidal thickness decreased. During the follow-up, the mfERGs remained decreased. In contrast, microperimetry showed a partial improvement of the retinal sensitivity. CONCLUSION: FAF and SD-OCT are useful noninvasive methods to evaluate the retinal and choroidal changes before and after treatment of PIOL. Our results suggest that visual recovery after successful treatment may be limited once macula is infiltrated.