Natural course of photic maculopathy secondary to uncomplicated cataract surgery

We report on a 36-year-old man who developed photic maculopathy in the left eye shortly after uncomplicated cataract surgery. The visual acuity (VA) of the left eye was 6/39 and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), performed one week after surgery, revealed a hyporeflective space in the outer retina (a partial-thickness hole') at the fovea. Microperimetry showed a relative central scotoma and multifocal electroretinogram (ERG) showed reduced responses within the central 10 degrees. Two months later, VA in the felt eye improved to 6/6 and SD-OCT showed an almost complete resolution of the partial-thickness hole'. Microperimetry showed the resolution of the relative scotoma at the fovea and multifocal ERG showed improved responses within the central 10 degrees. SD-OCT, microperimetry and multifocal ERG are useful tools in the diagnosis and follow-up of photic maculopathy after uncomplicated cataract surgery. Its natural history may be characterised by resolution of both morphological and functional changes shortly after surgery.