Large bilateral foveal cysts in the inner retina of a patient treated with tamoxifen, diagnosed with Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography

Ilias Georgalas, Theodore Paraskevopoulos, Dimitris Papaconstaninou, Dimitiris Brouzas, Chryssanthi Koutsandrea

Department of Ophthalmology, "G Gennimatas" Hospital of Athens, NHS, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

Purpose: To report a case of a patient receiving tamoxifen with visual deterioration and describe the unusual optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings.
Method: Observational case report.
Results: A 55-year-old female patient was referred to our department complaining of gradual visual deterioration in both eyes. Medical history was unremarkable apart from breast cancer for which she had received tamoxifen for 10 years (mean dosage 20 mg/day). Best corrected visual acuity was 20/400 in her right eye and 20/40 in her left eye. Fundoscopy in both eyes was without any obvious signs of maculopathy. However, Fourier-domain OCT demonstrated bilateral extensive areas of disruption in inner retinal layers without any signs of crystalline retinopathy. Six months after the cessation of tamoxifen, the situation remains unchanged.
Conclusion: Patients receiving tamoxifen should be monitored with high-resolution OCT for fundoscopically invisible changes in the inner retinal layers, the progression of which may seriously affect the patient's vision and subsequently their quality of life.

Keywords: maculopathy, OCT