PURPOSE: To determine whether pathogenic mutations exist in the ELOVL4 gene in patients with inherited retinal degenerations other than Stargardt-like macular dystrophy or other hereditary macular degenerations. METHODS: All six exons comprising the open reading frame of the ELOVL4 gene were evaluated by single-strand conformation analysis, direct nucleotide sequencing, or both methods. RESULTS: No pathogenic mutations were found among 84 patients with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa or among 51 patients with Leber congenital amaurosis (congenital retinal blindness). CONCLUSIONS: These data support the conclusion that recessive retinitis pigmentosa and Leber congenital amaurosis are rarely if ever associated with changes in the ELOVL4 gene.