Macular edema without fluorescein leakeage

Purpose. - To study the OCT (optical coherence tomography) features of cases of unexplained macular edema, which were not combined with fluorescein leakage on angiography. Patients and method. - We report a retrospective series of three patients who presented with visual acuity impairment due to unilateral macular thickening visible on OCT examination.All eyes studied underwent OCT and angiography and electrophysiological examinations. None of the patients had a medical record and none of the eyes studied was highly myopic. Results. - OCT profiles shared characteristics of myopic foveoschisis or X-linked retinoschisis. No fluorescein leakage was detected on angiography. The electrooculogram was impaired in one eye while other electrophysiological investigations were normal in all eyes. Discussion. - Most frequently, macular edemas are associated with a fluorescein leakage on angiography. Macular edemas without angiographic leakage may correspond to unilateral idiopathic retinoschisis or macular edemas, with an atypical mechanism of intraretinal fluid accumulation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.