Human immunodeficiency virus and the ophthalmologist

Ophthalmological Manifestations in People with HIV from Northeastern Romania

Background and Objectives: Although ocular disorders can occasionally impact people with HIV over the course of their illness, HIV/AIDS is unmistakably a multisystem disorder. A physician can rule out a wide range of ophthalmic problems with the assistance of an ophthalmologist, from adnexal disorders to posterior segment diseases, including those affecting the optic tract and optic nerve. Materials and Methods: Based on patient medical data from the "St. Parascheva" Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases in Iasi, we carried out a retrospective clinical investigation on patients with HIV/AIDS and ophthalmological conditions who were hospitalized in northeastern Romania. We seek to draw attention to the characteristics and ophthalmological comorbidities of HIV/AIDS patients. The studied period was between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2022. Results: There were a total of 38 recorded cases of ophthalmological manifestations in the HIV-infected patients. The research group's average age was 37.31 years old (standard deviation 9.5693917). Males were primarily impacted, having lower total CD4+ T-lymphocyte levels based on sex and CD4+ T-lymphocyte levels overall. The HIV viral load was 999 268.13 copies/mL on average (standard deviation 1,653,722.9). Of all the patients, we found out that 17 had congenital eye diseases (44.73%) and the others (21, 55.26%) developed ophthalmological diseases. CMV Retinitis was found most frequently, in eight patients (21.05%), followed by Myopia in seven patients (18.42%). Conclusions: The key to the management of HIV-positive patients is a multidisciplinary approach and access to antiretroviral therapy. Anyone who is HIV-positive and experiences ocular symptoms at any time should be directed to seek professional ophthalmologic treatment as soon as feasible. A therapeutic holdup could result in irreversible vision loss. Long-term coordination is required to combat this disease, improving communication between the ophthalmology and infectious disease fields.

[Ophthalmological profile of patients living with HIV/AIDS]

INTRODUCTION

Serbia has 2.287 registered HIV positive persons. A certain number has ocular complications which are mainly the result of opportunistic infections accompanying this illness. Due to a highly stigmatizing environment for people living with HIV/AIDS in Serbia, they do not always seek doctors assistance despite the fear of losing their sight.

CASE REPORT

We presented ophthalmologic status of nine HIV positive persons, all at the different phases of the illness. The decrease in the visual acuity was the first symptom which led to the diagnosis of HIV infection in two of our patients.

CONCLUSION

Ophthalmologist has an important role in the multidisciplinary approach to patients with HIV/AIDS from introducing the diagnosis to the follow-up and the treatment of ocular complications which may accompany this chronic illness. With the active involvement of eye professionals serious consequences can be prevented, which have not only medical but also social and economic implications on the individual and the society as a whole.