Fluoroangiographic findings in hemodialyzed patients

Abstract

After having highlighted the main possible ocular abnormalities in patients affected by chronic renal failure treated with hemodialysis, we describe our observations in 12 hemodialyzed patients. Evaluation of the examined fluoroangiographic patterns was interesting because, in seven patients (58.4%), focal choroidal perfusion defects were found, mainly localized in the posterior pole and nasal portion. Similar fluoroangiographic findings have been observed in patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus and anatomic and histologic studies have proved the existence of diabetic choroidopathy; therefore, we suggest that the onset of choroidopathy in hemodialyzed patients depends on an early arteriolar atherosclerosis of the choroidal membrane, probably secondary to chronic renal failure rather than to extracorporeal dialysis.