Acute retinal necrosis syndrome

1. Acute retinal necrosis (ARN) represents a specific pattern of clinical presentations for certain herpes virus infections in the posterior segment of the eye. These include varicella zoster virus and herpes simplex virus. 2. Patients with ARN usually complain of mild to moderate ocular or periorbital pain, foreign body sensation, and a red eye. Visual symptoms usually include hazy vision, floaters, and, rarely, decreased peripheral vision. 3. Medical treatment of choice is intravenous acyclovir. Surgical treatment of choice is pars plana vitrectomy. If retinal detachment is present, vitrectomy with endolaser, internal drainage of subretinal fluid, air-fluid exchange, and long-acting gas tamponade are recommended.