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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Anterior High-Resolution Optical Coherence Tomography in the Diagnosis and Therapeutic Monitoring of Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia
Published on: August 9, 2024
Conjunctival non-caseating granulomas in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patient attributed to
Thekla G Papadaki1, Chrysanthi Kafkala, Ioannis P Zacharopoulos
1Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institute, Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. theklapap@med.uoc.gr
Purpose:
To report a rare case of isolated ocular sarcoidosis in an HIV positive patient.
Design:
Case report.
Methods:
A 47-year-old HIV+ Caucasian male was referred for chronic bilateral follicular conjunctivitis.
Results:
A conjunctival biopsy that was performed on the right eye showed sarcoidosis. General medical evaluation including a spiral thin cut chest CT scan revealed no systemic involvement. The ocular signs and symptoms resolved completely with topical corticosteroid treatment.
Conclusions:
HIV infection and sarcoidosis rarely coexist, presumably because their immunopathogenesis mechanisms diverge. In the absence of systemic involvement, a definite diagnosis can only be made by biopsy of the ocular tissues.
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