The eye in sexually transmitted infections: a review of the ocular complications of venereal diseases

Abstract

Ocular complications of sexually transmitted diseases are frequently encountered by ophthalmologists and sexual health physicians in everyday practice. Ocular findings may be the first sign of many of the known sexually transmitted diseases. Thus, a high index of suspicion for ocular involvement in patients at risk of sexually transmitted diseases should be borne in mind and these patients should be referred to a specialist in a timely manner. This review focuses on the more significant ocular manifestations of the most common sexually transmitted diseases with which both ophthalmologists and sexual health physicians need to be familiar. In addition, it provides the most recent statistics on these conditions.