In most cases, choroidal dystrophy is due to an abnormal gene, which is passed down through families. It most often affects males, starting in childhood.
The first symptoms are peripheral vision loss and vision loss at night. An eye surgeon who specializes in the retina (back of the eye) can diagnose this disorder.
Choroideremia; Gyrate atrophy; Central areolar choroidal dystrophy
Genead MA, Fishman GA, Gover S. Hereditary choroidal diseases. In: Ryan SJ, Sadda SR, Hinton DR, Schachat AP, et al, eds. Retina. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:chap 43.
Grover S, Fishman GA, Ganead MA. Choroidal dystrophies In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 6.15.
Review Date 11/4/2015
Updated by: Franklin W. Lusby, MD, ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.