Acute ocular leukemia.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Hematology
• Pathology

Background:

• Leukemia is a cancer of blood-forming tissues.
• Ocular manifestations of leukemia are diverse.
• Choroidal involvement in leukemia is rare but significant.

Observation:

• A 71-year-old woman presented with weight loss, decreased visual acuity, and mental depression.
• Fluorescein angiography revealed extensive retinal pigment epithelial leakage.
• Initial evaluations failed to identify the cause of her symptoms.

Findings:

• Postmortem examination identified leukemia infiltrates in multiple organs, including the choroid.
• Clinical signs and angiographic findings correlated with histopathologic results.
• Choroidal disease was a presenting symptom of previously undetected leukemia.

Implications:

• This case highlights the importance of considering leukemia in patients with unexplained choroidal disease.
• Ocular findings can be crucial diagnostic clues for systemic hematologic malignancies.
• Early detection of leukemia through ophthalmologic examination may improve patient outcomes.