A 6-year-old boy was referred from the optometrist for bilateral painless blurred vision of 2 weeks duration during routine screening. Upon examination, best-corrected visual acuity was 20/200 (right eye) and 20/120 (left eye). Anterior segment examination was normal for both eyes. Funduscopy showed bilateral optic disc swelling with peripapillary exudates and diffuse retinochoroiditis involving the posterior pole. Optical coherence tomography revealed diffuse retinal thickening with intraretinal fluids and cystoid changes of central fovea. Fluorescein angiography showed bilateral hot discs with vasculitis in all quadrants and large areas of nonperfusion at peripheral retina. The patient was initially treated as presumed ocular tuberculosis (TB) based on clinical presentation and history of contact with family member having pulmonary TB. Antituberculous therapy was started and both eyes received panretinal laser photocoagulation. After 3 weeks of anti-TB treatment, serology for Bartonella turned out to be positive. Treatment was changed to intravenous ceftriaxone for 10 days followed by oral cotrimoxazole for 6 weeks and combined treatment with oral prednisolone. Gradual clinical improvement was seen with corresponding visual gain due to the reduction of macular edema, but residual thickening remained due to its chronicity.
Concurrent tuberculous optic neuritis (ON) and optic perineuritis (OPN) in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is extremely rare. HIV-induced progressive CD4 depletion is associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis (TB), disseminated TB, and death. Early detection and initiation of anti-TB therapy with corticosteroid commencement helps in achieving better visual outcomes. Interestingly, we report a case of concurrent ON and OPN in a patient with HIV-TB co-infection. A 29-year-old lady, a prisoner, with newly diagnosed treatment-naive HIV, presented with acute-onset reduced vision in the left eye for 10 days. It was associated with pain in eye movement and headache. The patient was known to be a drug abuser since the age of 19 years and was a sexual worker. Her CD4 count was 292 cells/mm3.Visual acuity of the right eye was 6/12 with a pinhole of 6/9, and there was no perception of light (NPL) in all four quadrants of the left eye. Relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) was positive in the left eye. Both anterior segments were unremarkable. The right eye fundoscopy showed a normal optic disc, while the left eye showed a hyperemic disc. During subsequent follow-up, the patient had reduced right eye vision, and the vision dropped to 6/30 with a pinhole of 6/15. Her erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was raised to 88 mm/h. The Mantoux test was positive. Chest radiography was normal. MRI of the brain and orbit showed significant enhancement of the right optic nerve and left optic nerve sheath suggesting the diagnosis of right eye ON and left eye OPN secondary to TB. The patient was co-managed with an infectious disease team. She was started on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatment (oral Tenvir-EM and efavirenz) upon presentation. Anti-TB therapy was commenced two months later. She was started on the intensive phase of the anti-TB regime followed by the maintenance phase. Oral dexamethasone was given concurrently according to the central nervous system (CNS) TB regime for six weeks. During follow-up, her right eye visual acuity was 6/9, and her left eye visual acuity improved to 6/12. Fundoscopy showed bilateral pale discs. To date, no episodes of recurrence have been seen.