Bilateral giant retinal tear and retinal detachment in a young emmetropic man after Jarish-Herxheimer reaction in ocular syphilis

Abstract

Background: Giant retinal tears were previously described in patients affected by panuveitis. We report the case of a patient presenting giant retinal tears in both eyes affected by ocular syphilis.

Patient and method: A 45-year-old patient presented a 5 days history of sudden bilateral drop of vision, two weeks after penicillin therapy for secondary syphilis. The best visual acuity was 0.5 RE and light perception LE. Biomicroscopy showed an intense vitritis associated with bilateral giant tear and retinal detachment. Both TPHA and VDRL were positive. Lumbar puncture showed lymphoplasmocytosis with intrathecal synthesis of IgM.

Results: Topical steroids treatment was applied and intravenous penicillin was given during 14 days. Pars plana vitrectomy with silicon oil tamponade was performed in association with endophotocoagulation in the left eye and cryocoagulation in the right eye. Vitreous PCR was negative. Evolution was successful with an attached retina.

Conclusions: This represents the first reported case of giant retinal tear with retinal detachment in a patient presenting a syphilitic panuveitis.