Morphological characteristics in macular telangiectasia type 2

Macular telangiectasia type 2 is characterized by atrophic alterations of the central retina which is accompanied by a defined vascular phenotype. The disease manifests within an oval central retinal area the size of approximately two disc diameters, with a topographic predisposition temporal to the foveal center. Funduscopy reveals reduced retinal transparency, crystalline deposits, mildly ectatic capillaries, thickened venules and retinal pigment plaques. Secondary neovascularization and macular holes may occur during the disease course. Fluorescein angiography usually shows a diffuse leakage and often ectatic capillaries. On optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination, hyporeflective cavities and focal atrophy of the photoreceptor layer represent a frequent finding. A characteristic sign is an increased (para) central signal on fundus autofluorescence imaging due to a reduced density of macular pigment.