Materials and Methods: The 70 eyes of 35 patients (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus(SLE) 5.7%, Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) 68.6%, Sjogren Syndrome(SS) 25.7%) who had been using the medication for five years or less were classified as group I and the 70 eyes of 35 patients (SLE 14.2%, RA 60.0%, SS 25.8%) who had been using the medication for more than five years were classified as group II. Optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and 10-2 visual field tests conducted on patients using HCQ were reviewed retrospectively.

Results: The full retinal thickness (FRT), nerve fiber layer (NFL), inner plexiform layer (IPL), outer nuclear layer (ONL) and inner retinal layers (IRL) values in Group II are lower compared to those in Group I, the difference is not significant (p > 0.05). There were a statistically significant differences in ganglion cell layer (GCL), retina pigment epitelium (RPE) and outer retinal layers (ORL) values among the two groups (p < 0.05). In group II periferic visual field mean deviation (pvf-md) and periferic visual field pattern standart deviation (pvf-psd) values are higher than in group I but the difference is not significant (p > 0.05). FAF was evaluated as normal in all patients except one.

Conclusion: HCQ use may cause subfoveal retinal layer thickness alterations in GCL, RPE, ORL even without evident retinal toxicity. Regular retinal imaging should be performed before it leads to vision loss. Keywords : Antimalarial drugs, hydroxychloroquine, macula, retinal imaging, retinal toxicity