An atypical case of neurosarcoidosis presenting with neovascular glaucoma.
J Ophthalmic Inflamm Infect 2018;
8:7. [PMID:
29671151 PMCID:
PMC5906415 DOI:
10.1186/s12348-018-0149-4]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background
Sarcoidosis, a multisystem, granulomatous disorder, sometimes manifests with a neuro-ophthalmic subtype. The latter can pose a diagnostic challenge, especially when ocular symptoms appear before systemic involvement, as the clinical picture then can be non-specific and systemic laboratory and standard imaging investigations can be negative.
Findings
A 71-year-old woman presented with a 4-month history of sudden-onset visual loss in the left eye. Slit lamp examination revealed anterior chamber cells, iris, and angle neovascularization. Fundoscopy showed a pale edematous optic nerve head surrounded with intraretinal hemorrhages and yellow retinal infiltrates. The vasculature was very narrow to absent. Indeed, fluorescein angiography filling was limited to the (juxta-)papillary region. An extensive systemic work-up revealed a monoclonal gammopathy and absence of any inflammatory markers. On MRI, a mass infiltration of the intraorbital and the intracranial optic nerve was visible. Additional PET-CT scan revealed hilar lymph nodes. A transbronchial biopsy demonstrating a non-caseating granulomatous lesion led to the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and thus neurosarcoidosis. Treatment with high-dose prednisone and azathioprine was started to avoid progression and subsequent visual loss in the other eye.
Conclusions
A patient with neurosarcoidosis presenting with compressive ischemic optic disc edema and neovascular glaucoma is described, increasing the diversity of clinical presentations and confirming the diagnostic challenge of neurosarcoidosis.
Collapse