Chloroquine Retinopathy: Is Fluorescein Angiography Necessary?

Color fundus photographs and corresponding fluorescein angiograms from 83 patients suspected of having chloroquine retinopathy were reviewed in a retrospective masked study to determine the relative sensitivity of these two photographic methods in the diagnosis of retinal toxicity. We identified retinal toxicity on both color photographs and fluorescein angiograms in 7.6% of cases, on the color photographs but not on the corresponding angiograms in 6.1% of cases, and on the fluorescein angiograms but not on the color photographs in 1.5% of cases. Fluorescein angiography may not be as sensitive as color fundus photography (or ophthalmoscopy) in the diagnosis of chloroquine retinopathy.