Chorioretinitis is an inflammation of the choroid (thin pigmented vascular coat of the eye) and retina of the eye. It is a form of posterior uveitis. Inflammation of these layers can lead to vision-threatening complications. If only the choroid is inflamed, not the retina, the condition is termed choroiditis.
Symptoms
Symptoms may include the presence of
floater, blurred vision, pain or redness in the eye, sensitivity to light, or excessive tearing.
Causes
Chorioretinitis is often caused by toxoplasmosis and
cytomegalovirus infections (mostly seen in
immunodeficient subjects such as people with HIV/AIDS or on immunosuppressant drugs).
Congenital toxoplasmosis via transplacental transmission can also lead to
sequelae such as chorioretinitis along with hydrocephalus and cerebral calcifications. Other possible causes of chorioretinitis are
syphilis,
sarcoidosis,
tuberculosis, Behçet's disease,
onchocerciasis, or West Nile virus.
Chorioretinitis may also occur in presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS); despite its name, the relationship of POHS to
Histoplasma is controversial.
Diagnosis
In general, the diagnosis of chorioretinitis is based on direct examination of active chorioretinal inflammation and/or by detection of leukocytes in the vitreous humor on ophthalmic examination.
Treatment
Chorioretinitis is usually treated with a combination of
and
. However, if there is an underlying cause such as HIV, specific therapy can be started as well.
A 2012 Cochrane Review found weak evidence suggesting that ivermectin could result in reduced chorioretinal lesions in patients with onchocercal eye disease.
See also
Further reading
External links
