Spontaneous resolution of optic disk pit maculopathy in a child after a six-year follow-up

PURPOSE: Optic disk pit (ODP) is a rare congenital abnormality of the optic nerve head that can lead to a maculopathy characterized mainly by serous retinal detachment. Optic disk pit maculopathy (ODP-M) in children is rare, and at present, the best management is still unknown. Long-lasting ODP-M can lead to organic amblyopia and photoreceptor damage, whereas surgical treatments are invasive and have an uncertain prognosis. We present a case of spontaneous resolution of ODP-M in a child who was monitored morphologically and functionally during a 6-year follow-up. METHODS: Between January 2010 and January 2016, we conducted follow-up examinations by fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, and microperimetry. RESULTS: At the first visit, a 12-year-old girl was asymptomatic with a visual acuity of 20/20 in both eyes. Optic disk pit maculopathy was observed, and the progression was monitored by follow-up optical coherence tomography. A progressive anatomical improvement with a spontaneous resolution of ODP-M occurred over a 2-year period. However, at the last follow-up visit, microperimetry showed a loss of threshold values of visual sensitivity. CONCLUSION: The combination of morphologic and functional evaluation over time can be useful to determine the best management of ODP-M, particularly in children for whom the conservative approach seems to be a valid alternative to surgery.