A unique presentation of subretinal fluid in a type III torpedo maculopathy phenotype

Purpose: To report a rare type III torpedo maculopathy lesion with a unique manifestation of subretinal fluid.

Observations: A nine-year-old patient was referred to retina for an evaluation of a hypopigmented oval-shaped lesion in the temporal macula with an area of inferior subretinal fluid in the right eye. The lesion demonstrated inner and outer retinal and retinal pigment epithelial attenuation, intraretinal and subretinal fluid, a serous neurosensory retinal detachment, and inner choroidal excavation on optical coherence tomography. Fundus autofluorescence showed a lane of downward-tracking fluid. Intravenously administered fluorescein angiography revealed a window defect in the area of the torpedo lesion suggesting choroidal flush.

Conclusions and importance: The case is the third documented case of torpedo maculopathy with subretinal fluid in the literature with a unique combination of intraretinal cystic changes and dependent descending subretinal fluid, somewhat akin to a Best disease outside of the fovea with choroidal excavation. The morphology of torpedo maculopathy continues to expand as more cases are revealed.