Changes in parafoveal retinal thickness and subfoveal choroidal thickness in a patient with dengue fever-associated maculopathy

BACKGROUND The time courses of retinal and choroidal thickness changes in dengue fever-associated maculopathy are not known. We measured central macular thickness (CMT), parafoveal retinal thickness (PRT), and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT), in one case, employing optical coherence tomography. FINDINGS The patient was a 43-year-old man diagnosed with dengue fever in Sri Lanka. He became aware of blurred vision bilaterally and visited our department 2 weeks after the onset. He showed reduced visual acuity. The Amsler test revealed a doughnut-shaped relative scotoma. Based on the course of this condition, dengue fever-associated maculopathy was diagnosed. One month later, 20 mg triamcinolone was injected into sub-Tenon space of the left eye. Both eyes showed subsequent improvement. PRT of both eyes increased 1 week after the first visit and decreased thereafter, reaching a plateau 1 month after the first visit. The change in CMT was minimal. SCT changed markedly, with the similar pattern in both eyes, though no particular tendency was noted during the observation period. CONCLUSIONS Dengue fever-associated maculopathy appears to be closely associated with thickening of the inner layer of the retina, but not with changes in choroidal thickness.