Macular fibrosis associated with talc retinopathy

PURPOSE: To investigate a patient with talc retinopathy who developed macul ar fibrosis with resultant visual loss. METHODS: A 64-year-old intravenous drug abuser was evaluated for bilateral peripheral retinal neovascularization. He admitted to abusing oral methylph enidate intravenously, Funduscopy showed numerous intravascular talc partic les in the macular area of both eyes. Over a period of next 4 years, visual ly significant macular fibrosis gradually developed in both eyes, the left eye more than the right eye. RESULTS: Fluorescein angiography confirmed the presence of bilateral periph eral retinal neovascularization with adjacent areas of ischemic retina. The patient was treated with peripheral laser treatment to the ischemic retina with resultant regression of peripheral retinal neovascularization. Bilate ral macular fibrosis accounted for the reduced vision in our patient. CONCLUSION: Talc retinopathy can be associated with macular fibrosis with r esultant visual loss. (Am J Ophthalmol 1999;128:517-519. (C) 1999 by Elsevi er Science Inc. All rights reserved.).