Material and Methods: Personal-family history of the patients were recorded. Ophthalmological examination included visual acuity (VA) testing, biomicroscopy, fundoscopy, optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging.

Results: Out of 242 RP patients 36% was female, mean age was 45 years. Consanguinity rate was 55%, sporadic cases constituted 37%. There was no coexisting systemic disorder in 49% of the patients and no additional ocular pathology in 80% of the eyes. Cataract surgery was performed in 26% of the eyes, 30% of the eyes had posterior-subcapsular, 8% had nuclear cataract. Nystagmus was seen in 23.6%, orthophoria in 44% and exophoria in 38%. VA was seeing hand movements or less in 77%. Fundus examination revealed end-stage RP in 70%, severe macular atrophy in 7% of the eyes. Mean foveal thickness was 117.11±62.45 um in right, 118.95±68.21 um in the left eyes. There was no correlation among age, sex and VA. ILM and ERM thickening, presence of micropseudocyst, cystoid macular edema were among retinal abnormalities. Choroidal thinning rate was 63.5%. VA was higher if there was no choroidal thinning. Severe diffuse thinning was more common if VA was no light perception. In presence of hyper-FAF ring there was a negative correlation between age and foveal thickness.

Conclusion: According to the indication criteria 41 patients were suitable as candidates for Argus II retinal prosthesis. Clinical and cognitive characteristics of the patients and detailed imaging/analysis of the macula is of supreme importance. Keywords : Argus II epiretinal prosthesis, fundus autofluorescence, optical coherence tomography, retinal prosthesis, retinitis pigmentosa