Ocular involvement in Whipple's disease

A 60-year-old white man with recurrent nondeforming arthritis and no intestinal symptoms developed bilateral vitreous opacities strongly suggestive of Whipple's disease. He was successfully treated with tetracycline and erythromycin. Thirteen years later, a presumed diagnosis of Whipple's disease was established by histopathologic observation of macrophages that were distended by periodic acid-Schiff-positive material and the finding of bacilli by electron microscopy in a vitreous aspirate. The characteristics of ocular involvement in Whipple's disease are discussed.