Canthaxanthin retinopathy. Anatomic and functional reversibility
C. Harnois, J. Samson, M. Malenfant and A. Rousseau
Department of Ophthalmology, CHUL Research Center, Laval University Medical Center, Quebec, Canada.
Canthaxanthin intake is associated with golden yellow crystalline deposits
in the retina around the macula and low static luminance threshold. Our
study assesses the anatomic and functional reversibility of canthaxanthin
retinopathy. The number of retinal deposits was evaluated in nine patients,
two to four times over a mean period of 55 months. There was no significant
difference after a nine-month follow-up. A statistically significant
decrease in the number of retinal deposits was found after an observation
period of 26 months. The deposits disappeared slowly, while some remained
even seven years after canthaxanthin therapy was discontinued. Threshold
static perimetry performed on eight patients with retinopathy and seven
controls did not differ significantly between the two groups at the end of
the follow-up period. The results demonstrate that canthaxanthin
retinopathy is reversible.
