Which combination of features best describes the historic vs active chorioretinitis distinction?

• A. Historic: well defined scars; Active: poorly defined lesions
• B. Historic: poorly defined lesions; Active: well defined scars
• C. Historic: retinal detachment; Active: white/grey non-tapetal areas
• D. Historic: hyperreflective tapetal lesions; Active: hyporeflective tapetal lesions

Answer: (A)

Distinguishing historic from active chorioretinitis centers on lesion borders and current inflammation. Historic, inactive disease shows scars with well-defined, sharp borders, representing completed damage. Active disease has ongoing inflammation with edema and exudate that blur margins, so the lesions appear poorly defined. This pattern—historic = well-defined scars; active = poorly defined lesions—best matches the correct option. The other choices mix up these features or introduce descriptors (like retinal detachment or tapetal reflectivity) that aren’t the standard way we distinguish historic versus active chorioretinitis.