Decrease of blue cone sensitivity in acute idiopathic blind spot enlargement syndrome

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the sensitivity of the blue cone system by static perimetry in patients with unilateral acute idiopathic blind spot enlargement (AIBSE) syndrome.

Design: Observational case series.

Methods: Four patients with AIBSE syndrome, aged 16 to 30 years, were studied. Diagnosis of the AIBSE syndrome was based on clinical findings including an enlarged blind spot without corresponding ophthalmoscopic changes of the ocular fundus and with depressed multifocal electoretinograms. The visual sensitivity and mean deviations (MD) were measured by white-on-white (W/W) and blue-on-yellow (B/Y) automated perimetry.

Results: The average difference in the MD between the affected and unaffected eyes was 4.87 +/- 1.51 dB and 13.65 +/- 4.19 dB for W/W and B/Y perimetries, respectively. The difference between the two groups of eyes was significantly greater for B/Y perimetry than that for W/W perimetry (P =.01).

Conclusions: Our results suggest that the decrease of blue cone sensitivity is diffusely present over the retina in eyes with AIBSE syndrome. We recommend B/Y perimetry as a sensitive measure to detect retinal dysfunction that is not detected by W/W perimetry.