The retinal bacillary layer detachment: Clinical features and outcomes in posterior uveitis

To describe the clinical characteristics, presentation and response to treatment in posterior uveitis patients with bacillary layer detachment (BLD) seen on optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Retrospective review of patients with posterior uveitis and SD-OCT scans consistent with BLD. Data collected included demographics, uveitic etiology, treatment and duration of follow-up. Outcome measures included macular volume, central subfoveal thickness and visual acuity.

Sixteen patients (20 eyes) were included. Twelve were female (75%). The mean age was 43.68 ± 14.7 years. The most frequent etiology of the uveitis was Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease (n=10), followed by sympathetic ophthalmia (n=2). BLD was bilateral in four patients. Eight patients were treated with intravenous methylprednisolone boluses. Immunosuppressive therapies were required in 8 patients. The mean follow-up was 70 months (range: 2.0-216.0).

BLD was observed in a series of posterior uveitis cases of various etiologies, showing functional and structural resolution with treatment in most cases.