The authors report the case of a healthy 56-year-old man presenting with bilateral vision loss. Clinical features were consistent with the diagnosis of acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy (AEPVM). The patient returned 10 days later with bilateral anterior granulomatous uveitis, and the inflammatory work-up revealed treponemal antibodies in the serum and spinal fluid, consistent with a diagnosis of active neurosyphilis. The patient received standard treatment for neurosyphilis with intravenous penicillin G. Two months later, the intraocular inflammation had resolved, but the resolution of the vitelliform lesions was more gradual. An immune process could be a plausible explanation for these clinical findings. Clinicians should be aware that syphilis can produce AEPVM.
[Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2014;45:e29–e31.]
From the Rothschild Ophthalmologic Foundation, Paris, France (BW, CT, MMF); the Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York, New York (SM, KBF); and the LuEsther T. Mertz Retinal Research Center, Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital, New York, New York (SM, KBF).
Dr. Wolff had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
The authors have no financial or proprietary interests in the materials presented herein.
Address correspondence to Benjamin Wolff, MD, Rothschild Ophthalmologic Foundation, 25 Rue Manin, 75019 Paris, France; +33-1-48-03-66-71; fax: +33-1-48-03-69-23.
Received: August 01, 2013
Accepted: November 22, 2013
Posted Online: April 02, 2014