Vitreoretinal interface abnormalities in healed cytomegalovirus retinitis.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Imaging
• Infectious Disease Retinopathy

Background:

• Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is a significant cause of vision loss in immunocompromised individuals.
• Understanding the long-term ocular sequelae of healed CMV retinitis is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the vitreoretinal interface in patients with healed cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).
• To assess structural alterations in the retina and vitreous following CMV retinitis.

Main Methods:

• SD-OCT imaging was performed on eyes with a history of confirmed CMV retinitis and healed scars.
• Cross-sectional B-scans were analyzed for retinal layer integrity, scar margins, and vitreoretinal structural changes.
• Comparison was made with control eyes.

Main Results:

• Fifty percent of eyes showed vitreous detachment, while the other half had attached vitreous over the healed retinitis area.
• Epiretinal membranes were present in 86% of eyes, and vitreoretinal gliosis in 54%.
• These findings were absent in control eyes.

Conclusions:

• The vitreoretinal interface is pathologically altered in inactive CMV retinitis.
• The presence of epiretinal membranes and vitreoretinal gliosis may contribute to retinal elevation, breaks, and detachment in affected eyes.
• This study provides in vivo evidence of these changes.