Retina-Vitreous
2012 , Vol 20 , Num 0
Behcet’s Disease and Retinal Vasculitis
M.D. Associate Professor, Göznuru Eye Hospital, Gaziantep/TURKEY
Behcet's Disease (BD) is an idiopathic, polysymptomatic, chronic, recurrent systemic vasculitis. Japan and International Study Group for Behçet's Disease diagnosis criterias currently in use. Autoimmunity, triggered by environmental factors in genetic susceptible subjects lie behind in its etiology. BD can affect anterior and/or posterior segment of eye. Non-granulomatous anterior uveitis, conjunctival ulcer, episcleritis, scleritis are the anterior segment involvement forms. Vitritis, vascular sheating, optic nerve involvement, macular edema, retinal hemorrhage, retinitis, panuveitis, retinal vasculitis are the posterior segment involvement forms. Retinal vasculitis is the most treatment resistant form in all. Retinal vasculitis is inflammation and necrosis of the blood vessels of the retina that may involve arteries, veins, capilleries separetly or all, segmentally or diffusely. Diagnosed clinically, confirmed by FFA. Retinal vasculitis can be seen in many primary ocular conditions or systemic inflammatory or infectious diseases, however leaky periphlebitis and retinal infiltrations are typical for retinal vasculitis caused by BD. There is a widespread retinal ischemia unproportional to vascular involvement also typical for BD retinal vasculitis. In BD retinal vasculitis, ciclosporine A or infliximab be used in combination with azathioprine and corticosteroids; alternatively interferon-α with or without corticosteroids could be used.
Keywords :
Behcet’s disease, retinal vasculitis