Posterior segment ocular manifestations of HIV/AIDS patients

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has the ability to affect any organ in the body. In 70% of HIV -infected patients ocular manifestations were observed, these, in the vast majority reflect the systemic disease and may be the first signs of disseminated infections.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence of posterior segment ocular manifestations in HIV / AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) patients.

The study is retrospective, conducted in the Cabinet of Ophthalmology of "Matei Bals" Infectious Diseases Hospital in Bucharest, during the period 1 August 2007 - 1 August 2013 . Each patient was examined thoroughly at the biomicroscope ocular slit by using 90D microscope lens and 20D indirect lens after the administration of topical mydriatics.

348 patients with HIV/AIDS and ocular disorders were followed. There was a high number of children and young people with HIV who had eye disorders (194 patients aged between 14 and 25 years). 44.25% of patients had posterior segment ocular damage, 17.55% of them had the anterior segment affected. 22.90% of the 131 patients with compromised posterior segment microangiopathy have been diagnosed with HIV / AIDS.

Doctors should be aware of the existence of ocular damage in HIV / AIDS and to emphasize the importance of regular ophthalmologic examination of patients with HIV / AIDS.