Report of a Rare Syndromic Retinal Dystrophy: Asphyxiating Thoracic Dystrophy (Jeune Syndrome)

Jeune syndrome (JS), first described by Jeune as asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy, is an autosomal recessive osteochondrodysplasia with characteristic skeletal abnormalities and variable renal, hepatic, pancreatic, and ocular complications. Approximately 1 in every 100,000 to 130,000 babies is born with JS. Most patients with JS have respiratory distress due to inadequate lung development and many lose their lives due to respiratory failure. Those who survive have serious comorbidities. In terms of ophthalmological diseases, JS is classified among the hereditary syndromic retinopathies. Most, if not all, hereditary syndromic retinopathies can be analyzed in two main groups: inherited metabolic diseases and ciliopathies. The main cause of ocular pathologies in JS is genetic mutations in ciliary proteins that prevent normal function of retinal photoreceptor cells. Here we describe a patient with JS who presented with the complaint of night blindness. Although Snellen visual acuity was 20/20, the patient’s visual function was severely impaired due to photoreceptor dysfunction caused by ciliopathy secondary to the genetic mutation. This case shows that in patients with syndromic comorbidities accompanying nyctalopia, even those with perfect visual acuity, hereditary retinal dystrophies should be considered and asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy (JS) included in the differential diagnosis. Multimodal retinal imaging, including structural and functional assessments, should be used for the diagnosis and genetic counselling should also be provided.