Late visual recovery after intravenous methylprednisolone treatment of Purtscher's retinopathy

Abstract

A 25-year-old man involved in a minor traffic accident subsequently had a Purtscher's-type retinopathy and lost visual acuity (20/800). After treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone at a dose of 1 g/day, his visual acuity improved to 20/70 three days later and to 20/50 one week later. The exudates and hemorrhages gradually disappeared. However, a localized central scotoma and afferent pupillary defect still persisted. We review previous reports on the retinal pathophysiology of Purtscher retinopathy and discuss the potential benefit of treatment with high-dose intravenous corticosteroids.