Ocular manifestations of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

New findings continue to appear in the study of the eyes of AIDS patients. Disturbances in color vision and contrast threshold have been noted. Central retinal vein occlusion has been reported. Retrobulbar optic neuropathy is another new finding. Cytomegalovirus continues to be the most common infectious problem in the eye. Other viruses of the herpes family such as varicella-zoster virus produce a rapidly progressive retinitis resembling the acute retinal necrosis syndrome. Protozoa such as toxoplasmosis and Pneumocystis carinii, cryptococcus and histoplasma among the fungi, and syphilis among the bacteria round out the microbes that are reviewed. Non- Hodgkins, large-cell lymphoma is another entity that can cause retinal or vitreal involvement. In the anterior segment, Kaposi's sarcoma of the eyelids and conjunctiva, herpes simplex blepharitis, and keratitis and molluscum contagiosum of the eyelids are three very common entities. New problems have been reported and include microsporidial and cryptococcal infections of the anterior segment and non-Hodgkins lymphoma of the orbit.

Duke Scholars

Author Allan Howard Friedman Neurosurgery