Choroidista

Choroidista is a term used in some languages to denote a person who specializes in the choroid, the vascular layer between the sclera and the retina of the eye. The choroid supplies nutrients to the outer retina and participates in thermoregulation and waste removal. In English, the term is uncommon; related roles are described as retinal specialists, uveologists, or choroidal researchers.

In clinical practice, a choroidist may be a clinician focusing on choroidal diseases, or a researcher studying choroidal anatomy and function. The field encompasses anatomy, physiology, imaging, and pathology of the choroid, including its layers such as the choriocapillaris and Bruch's membrane.

Diagnoses and conditions involving the choroid include choroiditis (inflammation of the choroid), choroidal neovascularization, serous or hemorrhagic choroidal detachment, tumors like choroidal melanoma or metastases, and inflammatory syndromes such as Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. The choroid can contribute to diseases of the retina and optic nerve.

Assessment relies on imaging techniques: enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT), wide-field OCT, fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, and ultrasound; histopathology is used in research and post-mortem studies.

Training for clinicians typically involves ophthalmology residency with retina specialization; researchers may hold degrees in vision science, anatomy, or pathology. The term choroidista is more common in non-English medical literature and may be encountered in comparative or historical discussions.