Case 110 Diagnosis

Central areolar choroidal dystrophy

Differential Diagnosis

Age-related macular degeneration: may also be characterized by a large area of geographic atrophy within the fovea, but tends to occur in older patients. Additional signs of macular degeneration should also be present.
Toxoplasmosis: can present with a similar central foveal lesion, but tends to be unilateral and occurs more frequently in immunocompromised patients
North Carolina dystrophy: presents in a similar manner, but usually begins in infancy and progresses through the teenage years
Stargardt disease: tends to present in childhood with central foveal atrophy surrounded by disciform flecks at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium. Fluorescein angiography reveals a dark choroid.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 28-May-2008 10:21:05 EDT