Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Choroidal and Retinal Folds

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Albert and Jakobiec's Principles and Practice of Ophthalmology

  • 107 Accesses

Abstract

Folds of the choroid and retina are typically a sign of ocular or orbital disease and therefore must be investigated in order to address any potential underlying pathology. Choroidal folds typically develop secondary to biomechanical stresses and can be visualized on biomicroscopy and further characterized using fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography. A variety of conditions can induce choroidal folds including tumors of the choroid and orbit, disorders of the optic nerve head, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, scleral buckling, hypotony, and inflammation. Some choroidal folds are deemed idiopathic in nature only after an underlying etiology cannot be identified. Over time, choroidal folds can lead to breaks in Bruch’s membrane leading to choroidal neovascularization, and its sequelae, therefore, prompt recognition, and investigation is required when choroidal folds are discovered. This chapter details the biomechanical basis, clinical presentation, imaging, etiologies, and implications of choroidal and retinal folds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Newell FW. Choroidal folds: the seventh Harry Searls Gradle memorial lecture. Am J Ophthalmol. 1973;75(6):930–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Friberg TR. The etiology of choroidal folds. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 1989;227(5):459–64.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Cangemi FE, Trempe CL, Walsh JB. Choroidal folds. Am J Ophthalmol. 1978;86(3):380–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Wolter JR. Parallel horizontal choroidal folds secondary to an orbital tumor. Am J Ophthalmol. 1974;77(5):669–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bullock JD, Egbert PR. The origin of choroidal folds a clinical, histopathological, and experimental study. Doc Ophthalmol Adv Ophthalmol. 1974;37(2):261–93.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hertle RW, Leahey AB, Bloom S, Schaffer DB, Bartlett S. Chorioretinal folds and a macular hole secondary to craniofacial surgery. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. 1990;6(4):278–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Ryan JE, Jampol LM. Drug-induced acute transient myopia with retinal folds. Retina (Philadelphia). 1986;6(4):220–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Friberg TR, Grove AS. Choroidal folds and refractive errors associated with orbital tumors: an analysis. Arch Ophthalmol. 1983;101(4):598–603.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Norton EW. A characteristic fluorescein angiographic pattern in choroidal folds: SAGE; 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Giuffrè G, Distefano MG. Optical coherence tomography of chorioretinal and choroidal folds. Acta Ophthalmol Scand. 2007;85(3):333–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Sibony PA, Kupersmith MJ, Feldon SE, Wang J-K, Garvin M. Retinal and choroidal folds in papilledema. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2015;56(10):5670–80.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Arias JD, Kumar N, Fulco EA, Spaide R, Yannuzzi L, Shields JA, et al. The seasick choroid: a finding on enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography of choroidal lymphoma. Retinal Cases Brief Rep. 2013;7(1):19–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Morgan CM, Gragoudas ES. Limited choroidal hemorrhage mistaken for a choroidal melanoma. Ophthalmology. 1987;94(1):41–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Lavinsky J, Lavinsky D, Lavinsky F, Frutuoso A. Acquired choroidal folds: a sign of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2007;245(6):883–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Griebel SR, Kosmorsky GS. Choroidal folds associated with increased intracranial pressure. Am J Ophthalmol. 2000;129(4):513–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Gass JDM. Radial chorioretinal folds: a sign of choroidal neovascularization. Arch Ophthalmol. 1981;99(6):1016–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Altan T, Temel A, Bavbek T, Kazokoglu H. Hypotonic maculopathy after trabeculectomy with postoperative use of 5-fluorouracil. Ophthalmologica. 1994;208(6):318–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Stamper RL, McMenemy MG, Lieberman MF. Hypotonous maculopathy after trabeculectomy with subconjunctival 5-fluorouracil. Am J Ophthalmol. 1992;114(5):544–53.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Jorge R, Scott IU, Akaishi PMS, Cruz AAV, Flynn HW Jr. Resolution of choroidal folds and improvement in visual acuity after orbital decompression for graves orbitopathy. Retina. 2003;23(4):563–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Ernst BB, Lowder CY, Meisler DM, Gutman FA. Posterior segment manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease. Ophthalmology. 1991;98(8):1272–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Tsuboi K, Nakai K, Iwahashi C, Gomi F, Ikuno Y, Nishida K. Analysis of choroidal folds in acute Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease using high-penetration optical coherence tomography. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2015;253(6):959–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Wu W, Wen F, Huang S, Luo G, Wu D. Choroidal folds in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. Am J Ophthalmol. 2007;143(5):900–1. e2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Tanigawa M, Ochiai H, Tsukahara Y, Ochiai Y, Yamanaka H. Choroidal folds in acute-stage Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease patients with relatively short axial length. Case Rep Ophthalmol. 2012;3(1):38–45.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Schepens C, Brockhurst R. Uveal effusion: 1. Clinical picture. Archives Ophthalmol. 1963;70(2):189–201.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Ward RC, Gragoudas ES, Pon DM, Albert DM. Abnormal scleral findings in uveal effusion syndrome. Am J Ophthalmol. 1988;106(2):139–46.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Mader TH, Gibson CR, Pass AF, Kramer LA, Lee AG, Fogarty J, et al. Optic disc edema, globe flattening, choroidal folds, and hyperopic shifts observed in astronauts after long-duration space flight. Ophthalmology. 2011;118(10):2058–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Buckey JC, Phillips SD, Anderson AP, Chepko AB, Archambault-Leger V, Gui J, et al. Microgravity-induced ocular changes are related to body weight. Am J Phys Regul Integr Comp Phys. 2018;315(3):R496–R9.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Dailey RA, Mills RP, Stimac GK, Shults WT, Kalina RE. The natural history and CT appearance of acquired hyperopia with choroidal folds. Ophthalmology. 1986;93(10):1336–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Haruyama M, Yuzawa M, Kawamura A, Yamazaki C, Matsumoto Y. Indocyanine green angiographic findings of chorioretinal folds. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2001;45(3):293–300.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Gonshor LG, Kline LB. Choroidal folds and dural cavernous sinus fistula. Arch Ophthalmol. 1991;109(8):1065–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Olsen TW, Palejwala NV, Lee LB, Bergstrom CS, Yeh S. Chorioretinal folds: associated disorders and a related maculopathy. Am J Ophthalmol. 2014;157(5):1038–47. e1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Gupta RR, Iaboni DS, Seamone ME, Sarraf D. Inner, outer, and full thickness retinal folds following rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair: a review. Surv Ophthalmol. 2018;

    Google Scholar 

  33. Isaico R, Malvitte L, Bron AM, Creuzot-Garcher C. Macular folds after retinal detachment surgery: the possible impact of outpatient surgery. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2013;251(1):383–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Yonekawa Y, Thomas BJ, Drenser KA, Trese MT, Capone A Jr. Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy: spectral-domain optical coherence tomography of the vitreoretinal interface, retina, and choroid. Ophthalmology. 2015;122(11):2270–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Kupersmith MJ, Sibony PA, Dave S. Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy induced retinal folds and deformations. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2017;58(10):4286–91.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Friberg T, Grove A. Sub-retinal neovascularization and choroidal folds. Ann Ophthalmol. 1980;12(3):245–50.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Thomas R. Friberg & Asad F. Durrani

Authors
  1. Thomas R. Friberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Asad F. Durrani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas R. Friberg .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Oregon Health & Science University Department of Ophthalmology, Portland, OR, USA

    Daniel Albert

  2. Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA

    Joan Miller

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Ophthalmology, Chicago, IL, USA

    Dimitri Azar

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Lucy H. Young

Section Editor information

  1. Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, USA

    Deeba Husain

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Retina Service, Harvard Medical School; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA

    Evangelos S. Gragoudas

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Friberg, T.R., Durrani, A.F. (2020). Choroidal and Retinal Folds. In: Albert, D., Miller, J., Azar, D., Young, L.H. (eds) Albert and Jakobiec's Principles and Practice of Ophthalmology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90495-5_117-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90495-5_117-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-90495-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-90495-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation