Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Birdshot retinochoroidopathy
Introduction
In ophthalmology, birdshot retinochoroidopathy is a form of uveitis, an eye inflammation. It is suspected to be an autoimmune disease, and is associated with the haplotype Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A29 in 99% of the cases. Therefore if birdshot retinochoroidopathy is suspected, a person would be tested to determine if they are HLA-A29 positive; only a small percentage of the general population is positive for this gene.
Possible symptoms include:
- “flashing” lights in eyes
- floaters
- loss of color vision
- night blindness
- small light-colored spots on the retina
The name of the condition comes from small light-colored spots on the retina, scattered in a pattern like birdshot from a shotgun, but these spots are not present in all cases, and might not be present in early stages.