Advances in the diagnosis of ocular tuberculosis

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Ocular tuberculosis (OTB) is a significant cause of visual morbidity and can have varied clinical manifestations. Recent advances in imaging and molecular diagnostic methods have greatly improved our understanding of the disease process. We conducted a search of published articles related to the diagnosis of ocular tuberculosis as of December 2021. Keywords were used to search the databases. Databases that were searched included PubMed and Scopus.

Areas covered

This review highlights the role of novel imaging modalities including ultra-widefield fundus photography, widefield fluorescein angiography, widefield indocyanine green angiography, swept-source optical coherence tomography, and optical coherence tomography angiography in the diagnosis of OTB. Radiological, immunological, and molecular diagnostic methods and their role in diagnosis of OTB have been discussed as well.

Expert opinion

With recent advancements in imaging, radiological, immunological, and molecular diagnostic methods, it is now possible to diagnose and treat ocular tuberculosis with greater accuracy, resulting in better treatment outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Ocular tuberculosis
• imaging
• advances
• diagnostic methods
• imaging

Article highlights

• This review highlights in detail the recent advances in the diagnosis of ocular tuberculosis.

• The novel imaging modalities including widefield fluorescein angiography, widefield indocyanine green angiography, swept-source optical coherence tomography, and optical coherence tomography angiography have been discussed in detail in addition to the conventional diagnostic methods.

• Advances in radiological, immunological, and molecular diagnostic methods have been discussed as well.

• With the introduction of these novel imaging modalities, our understanding of the disease process has greatly improved, leading to better diagnosis and management.

Declaration of interest

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.

Reviewer Disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Statement of Consent

Informed consent was taken from the patient to use their medical records and clinical images for academic purpose.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge SP Sharma, Senior Lab Technologist, Advanced Eye Centre, PGIMER, and clinical photographers A Kapil, N Gautam, and S Bhatt, for their contribution to this article.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.