Bilateral Central Retinal Artery Occlusion Associated with Bilateral Lymphoproliferative Infiltrative Optic...

Leukemic infiltration of the optic nerve is relatively rare. While previously described in acute leukemia, the infiltration in our case represents central nervous system (CNS) metastasis of Burkitt-type lymphoma that developed as a complication of solid-organ transplantation, resulting in a bilateral infiltrative optic neuropathy with sequential, bilateral central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) and devastating vision loss.

The medical record, serial ophthalmic examination findings, clinical course, and imaging including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fundus photographs, and fluorescein angiography of a single patient were retrospectively reviewed.

MRI demonstrated multifocal cortical and leptomeningeal CNS involvement, including the left optic nerve. Serial fundus examination/photography and fluorescein angiography showed that despite urgent whole-brain irradiation and systemic chemotherapy, CNS disease progressed to bilateral optic nerve infiltration and CRAO with no light perception vision in both eyes.

CRAO can occur as a devastating and irreversible complication of lymphoproliferative optic nerve infiltration.