HIV and opportunistic eye diseases

Abstract

Ocular manifestations can occur in up to 50% of AIDS patients. They can lead to severe visual loss, affecting the quality of life of a HIV-positive person. Common lesions include relatively benign conditions, such as blepharitis and dry eye, infections, such as herpes zoster ophthalmicus and Molluscum contagiosum, and malignancies, such as squamous cell carcinoma and Kaposi’s sarcoma. The posterior segment manifestations include retinal vasculopathy, opportunistic infections, unusual malignancies and neuro-ophthalmologic abnormalities, with cytomegalovirus retinitis being the most common. Effective antiretroviral therapy and improved prophylaxis and treatment of opportunistic infections have led to an increase in the survival of an individual afflicted with AIDS and a decrease in the occurrence of these infections. Immune recovery uveitis is a new cause of vision loss in patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy. Diagnosis and treatment are guided by the particular conditions and immune status of the patient.

Keywords::

• AIDS
• cidofovir
• cytomegalovirus retinitis
• ganciclovir
• highly active antiretroviral therapy
• intravitreal injection
• opportunistic infections in the eye
• retinal detachment

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

CMV: Cytomegalovirus; VZV: Varicella zoster virus.