Retinal vasculitis is inflammation of the vascular branches of the retinal artery, caused either by primary ocular disease processes, or as a specific presentation of any systemic form of

vasculitis Vasculitis is a group of disorders that destroy blood vessels by inflammation. Both arteries and veins are affected. Lymphangitis (inflammation of lymphatic vessels) is sometimes considered a type of vasculitis. Vasculitis is primarily caused ...

such as Behçet's disease,

sarcoidosis Sarcoidosis (also known as ''Besnier-Boeck-Schaumann disease'') is a disease involving abnormal collections of inflammatory cells that form lumps known as granulomata. The disease usually begins in the lungs, skin, or lymph nodes. Less commonly af ...

, multiple sclerosis, or any form of systemic necrotizing vasculitis such as

temporal arteritis Temporal may refer to: Entertainment * Temporal (band), an Australian metal band * ''Temporal'' (Radio Tarifa album), 1997 * ''Temporal'' (Love Spirals Downwards album), 2000 * ''Temporal'' (Isis album), 2012 * ''Temporal'' (video game), a 20 ...

, polyarteritis nodosa, and

granulomatosis with polyangiitis Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), previously known as Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), is a rare long-term systemic disorder that involves the formation of granulomas and inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis). It is a form of vasculitis ...

, or due to

lupus erythematosus Lupus erythematosus is a collection of autoimmune diseases in which the human immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks healthy tissues. Symptoms of these diseases can affect many different body systems, including joints, skin, kidneys, b ...

, or

rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects synovial joint, joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and ...

. Eales disease,

pars planitis Intermediate uveitis is a form of uveitis localized to the vitreous and peripheral retina. Primary sites of inflammation include the vitreous of which other such entities as pars planitis, posterior cyclitis, and hyalitis are encompassed. Intermedi ...

, birdshot retinochoroidopathy (autoimmune bilateral posterior uveitis), and Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis (FHI) can also cause retinal vasculitis. Infectious pathogens such as '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'', visceral larva migrans ('' Toxocara canis'' & '' Toxocara cati'') can also cause retinal vasculitis. Drug-induced vasculitis may involve retina as well, as seen in methamphetamine induced vasculitis.

Symptoms

Retinal vasculitis presents as painless, decrease of visual acuity (blurry vision), visual floaters,

scotomas A scotoma is an area of partial alteration in the field of vision consisting of a partially diminished or entirely degenerated visual acuity that is surrounded by a field of normal – or relatively well-preserved – vision. Every normal m ...

(dark spot in vision), decreased ability to distinguish colors, and metamorphopsia (distortion of images such as linear images).

Diseases associated with retinal vasculitis

Diagnosis

Retinal vasculitis is very rare as the only presenting symptom. Often, there is sufficient systemic evidence to help the physician decide between any one of the aforementioned possible systemic diseases. For those patients who present with only vasculitis of the retinal vessels, great investigative effort (Chest X-ray, blood test, urinary analysis, vascular biopsy, ophthalmology assessment, etc.) should be undertaken to ensure that a systemic disease is not the hidden culprit.

Findings

Ophthalmic examination may reveal neovascularization (creation of new vessels in the retina), retinal vessel narrowing, retinal vessel cuffing, retinal hemorrhage, or possible vitritis (inflammation of the vitreous body) or choroiditis (inflammation of the choroid).

Treatment

Intravitreal administration of corticosteroid and immunosuppressants in a case non infectious retinal vasculitis Antimicrobial therapy is required in the case of infectious retinal vasculitis

Sources

External links

{{Medical resources , DiseasesDB = , ICD10 = , ICD9 = {{ICD9, 362.18 , ICDO = , OMIM = , MedlinePlus = , eMedicineSubj = , eMedicineTopic = , MeshID = , SNOMED CT = 77628002 , ICD10CM = {{ICD10CM, H35.06 Rheumatology Inflammations Vascular-related cutaneous conditions