Epidemiological and Clinical Profile Of Fever Related Retinitis: A Hospital Based Study

Purpose: Retinal manifestations after a febrile illness irrespective of the etiology can be a common yet enigmatic presentation to an ophthalmologist. Detailed examination and timely diagnosis would go a long way in preventing visual loss in such cases. This study was undertaken to unravel the mystery of fever related retinitis, its clinical course and management. Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted from June 2016–17 in which medical records of 21 patients were collected. All patients had undergone detailed ocular examination that included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), color vision, pupillary reactions, anterior and posterior segment evaluation and fundus photography. Fundus Fluorescein Angiography (FFA) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) were done on a need basis. Routine investigations and specific serology for viral diseases were done as and when required. Results: 37 eyes of 21 patients of whom 16 bilateral and 5 unilateral were studied. Most patients presented within1 month following febrileillness. 4 patients were Mantoux positive (>20mm). 1 patient each had Dengue IgG and Chickungunya IgG positive respectively. Fundus examination revealed features of retinitis with single or multiple patches with exudation at macula; and all patients were given tapering dose of systemic steroids as per clinical response; specific treatment given as per the cause.Patients with unilateraldiseaseshowedan improvement invision to an average of 6/9 and bilateral cases to an average of 6/24 in the better eye. Conclusion:The clinical presentation and a favorable response to steroids, were strikingly similar in all cases despite the varied etiology. This study shows that inflammation probably may play a major role in the occurrence of retinal manifestations following an attack of febrile illness.