The Retina Reference

Adult Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy

Please see the normal fundus photograph first for comparison. In this photograph, the central yellow, round lesion with a pigment speck is surrounded by many smaller beige pigment flecks. The patient has mild blurring and distortion of vision. Sometimes patients with this condition have a mutation of the peripherin RDS gene. These patients have a better visual prognosis than patients with macular degeneration. They develop subretinal vessels less often, and most patients continue to have driving vision throughout life. This is considered one of the macular pattern dystrophies, and more information is found in the article of that name under Documents.