[Acute generalized retinal periphlebitis (author's transl)]

Report on a 28-year-old man with acute impairment of vision (blurring) who was subsequently found to have extensive bilateral retinal edema with hemorrhages at posterior pole. A striking feature was the periphlebitic sheathing in this area. After systemic corticosteroid application visual acuity improved rapidly as the exudations regressed. Apart from the finding of circulating immunocomplexes non of the serological tests showed any pathologic changes. It is reasonable to assume that the appearance of the acute generalized periphlebitis was related to a past or still active viral process.