[Initial diagnosis of acquired immunologic deficiency syndrome (AIDS) by the ophthalmologist]

The authors report on two patients who presented with sudden loss of vision, due to irodocyclitis and retinochoroiditis in one patient and optic neuritis in the other. AIDS was diagnosed in both patients on the basis of a positive HIV antibody assay, lymphopenia, and a reduced helper-to-suppressor subset ratio. Soon afterwards, the patient with retinochoroiditis developed the full-blown picture of AIDS with cerebral involvement. Neither anticytomegaly treatment with DHPG nor triple therapy for toxoplasmosis was able to prevent the fatal course. The patient died within six months. In contrast, the patient with optic neuritis recovered full visual acuity. So far there has been no relapse, nor any opportunistic infection in other organs.