Intraocular involvement of T and B cell lymphomas

Six elderly patients with ocular involvement by Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are reviewed. The characteristic clinical features were a history of fluctuating vision, findings of decreased colour vision, constricted visual fields, vitreous cells and subretinal infiltrates. Fluorescein angiography revealed pigment epithelial abnormalities and attenuated retinal vessels. Non-invasive investigations produced a definite diagnosis in two patients and a presumptive diagnosis in a further three. The ocular involvement was confirmed by vitreous cytology in only one patient: vitreous biopsies in three other patients yielded chronic inflammatory cells and no evidence of lymphoma. The condition responded poorly to steroids but well to radiotherapy.