Birdshot Chorioretinopathy

Birdshot chorioretinopathy is a rare form of posterior uveitis in which scattered pale spots appear at the back of the eye and inflammation gradually damages the retina.

Common symptoms

Floaters, blurred vision, reduced night vision, problems seeing contrast and colour, and loss of side vision in the later stages.

Description

Birdshot chorioretinopathy gets its name from the pattern of pale cream-coloured spots scattered across the back of the eye, a little like shotgun pellets. It is strongly linked to a specific tissue type, HLA-A29, and is thought to be autoimmune.

The condition most often affects adults in middle age. Symptoms can be subtle and mostly affect subtle aspects of vision such as contrast, dim-light vision, and colour, while visual acuity may stay surprisingly good until later. Without treatment, it can cause progressive loss of vision over years.

Care is led by specialist uveitis teams, usually with immune-suppressing medicines and sometimes biologic treatments to control inflammation and protect the retina. Regular tests, including OCT and visual fields, are used to monitor subtle changes and guide treatment.