Congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (CHRPE) is a benign lesion of the fundus that most often appears as a flat, pigmented spot.1 Its prevalence is highly variable and difficult to determine- studies quote a highly variable prevalence ranging from 0.3-40% of the population.2-4 It is more common in females by a ratio of 2:1.5
CHRPE can be broken down into three subtypes which include solitary CHRPE (which is most often referred to with the term “CHRPE”), grouped CHRPE (“bear tracks”), and multiple CHRPE. The latter two subtypes are often considered distinct entities, and this module will focus primarily on the solitary type. Typically, CHRPE has no clinical significance, however the recent development of multiple CHRPE is often associated with the cancer syndrome familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).1