Skip Navigation
Skip to contents

J Rheum Dis.  2015 Jun;22(3):140-145. 10.4078/jrd.2015.22.3.140.

Hydroxychloroquine Retinopathy

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ophthalmo@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been widely used for treatment of various rheumatic and dermatologic diseases. However, under a high cumulative dose, HCQ may cause retinal toxicity. In this review, we summarize the underlying mechanisms, prevalence, risk factors, clinical characteristics, screening tests, treatments, and prognosis of HCQ retinopathy. Because HCQ retinopathy is rarely reversible, screening tests to determine the retinal toxicity prior to its development are important. The American Academy of Ophthalmology screening protocols for early detection were updated in 2013. However, as a different clinical type is found in Asian patients, predominantly the pericentral type of photoreceptor damage, rather than the traditional parafoveal type, we propose a modified screening protocol for detection of HCQ retinopathy in Korean and other Asian patients.

Keyword

Hydroxychloroquine; Retina; Toxicity

MeSH Terms

Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Humans
Hydroxychloroquine*
Mass Screening
Ophthalmology
Prevalence
Prognosis
Retina
Retinaldehyde
Risk Factors
Hydroxychloroquine
Retinaldehyde
Full Text Links
  • JRD
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2026 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr