article · Annals of African Medicine
Solar retinopathy is infrequently documented in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite its worldwide occurrence. A clinical case involving a young Nigerian patient highlights how prolonged, repeated gazing at the sun without protective eyewear can lead to visual impairment, particularly in individuals experiencing mental health challenges. An eye examination revealed a visual acuity of 6/12 in both eyes, which failed to improve with refractive correction. Detailed optical coherence tomography scans of the macular region confirmed structural damage. While the overall foveal contour remained preserved, both eyes exhibited central subfoveal cystic changes alongside fragmentation of the ellipsoid and interdigitating zones. In addition, the external limiting membrane remained intact in the right eye but was fragmented in the left. The patient requires coordinated care involving joint management between ophthalmic specialists and a psychiatrist to address both ocular and underlying psychiatric needs.
Direct sun gazing causes severe and uncorrectable retinal damage that impairs vision. This report highlights that solar retinopathy can arise in patients with underlying psychiatric conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa. It emphasises the necessity of optical coherence tomography for diagnosing subtle retinal injuries and illustrates the importance of multidisciplinary care linking mental health support directly with ophthalmic treatment.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway or potential commercial product, as it is a single clinical case report describing diagnostic findings and psychiatric co-management.
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ABSTRACT: Solar retinopathy (SR) is less commonly documented in Sub-Saharan Africa, although it can affect individuals worldwide. We present a case of SR in a young Nigerian patient with mental health issues who experienced visual impairment after prolonged repeated gazing at the sun without protective eyewear. Visual acuities were 6/12 in both eyes, with no improvement with refraction. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the macular showed preservation of the foveal contour but central subfoveal cystic changes with fragmentation of the ellipsoid and interdigitating zones in both eyes; the external limiting membrane was intact in the right but fragmented in the left. The patient is being co-managed with his psychiatrist.
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DOI: 10.4103/aam.aam_213_25
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