Adverse ophthalmic reaction in poppers users: case series of ‘poppers maculopathy’

Clinical Phenotypes of Poppers Maculopathy and Their Links to Visual and Anatomic Recovery

“…Moreover, our study shows that vitelliform-like lesions tend to occur amongst chronic users and that a significant proportion of them had not improved over time despite drug cessation. The effect of prolonged poppers consumption has already been highlighted in several studies but the conclusions on the visual prognosis are contradictory [3,4,5]. Our study brings further confirmation that chronic use may be associated with more severe and permanent photoreceptor damage.…”

Is the mechanism of ‘poppers maculopathy’ photic injury?

“…In both 'poppers maculopathy' and photic maculopathy, there is focal disruption of the IS-OS junction centred at the fovea. [1][2][3][4] Moreover, the size, shape, echogenicity, and temporal evolution of the SD-OCT lesions appear indistinguishable in the two conditions. Patients also present with the same symptoms (scotoma, reduced vision, and phosphenes) and have the same slit-lamp findings (a pale yellow foveal lesion).…”

“…Patients also present with the same symptoms (scotoma, reduced vision, and phosphenes) and have the same slit-lamp findings (a pale yellow foveal lesion). [1][2][3][4] Indeed, it appears that in people using poppers, the two conditions can only be reliably distinguished by eliciting a history of excess light exposure and not by clinical features.…”

“…In the two French series, 2,3 all patients 'denied staring at bright lights'-yet how reliable is their history? Poppers are frequently combined with psychotropic drugs and alcohol, which can alter consciousness and memory, potentially making history unreliable.…”

Response to Fajgenbaum

“…We thank Dr Fajgenbaum 1 for his interest in our recent case series of maculopathy in poppers users 2 and for debate on this matter with respect to photic maculopathy.…”