Introduction

Hydroxychloroquine is a medication that is commonly used to control inflammatory and dermatological conditions.  It has an associated risk of retinal toxicity; therefore, it is important that you understand the risks and examination protocols recommended for those who are using this medication

Note that much of this material was covered in your V654 class, so a review of that material is essential.

Learning Outcomes

After reading the article below, you should be able to:

• Describe the risk of retinal toxicity in patients using hydroxychloroquine
• Describe major risk factors for developing retinopathy in patients using hydroxychloroquine
• Describe the recommended screening schedule for patients using hydroxychloroquine
• Describe the recommended (and non-recommended) screening tests for hydroxychloroquine

Article Reference

Marmor  MF, Kellner  U, Lai  TY, Melles  RB, Mieler  WF; American Academy of Ophthalmology.  Recommendations on screening for chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine retinopathy (2016 revision).  Ophthalmology. Volume 123, Issue 6, June 2016, Pages 1386-1394 (click here to view the article)