Recovery of visual function in a patient with birdshot chorioretinitis
- 1Ophthalmology Department, Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital, Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK
- 2Regional Uveitis Service
- 3Electrodiagnostic Unit
- Correspondence to: Dr Stuart Parks, Electrodiagnostic Imaging Unit ,Gartnavel General Hospital, 1053 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK; s.w.parks{at}clinmed.gla.ac.uk
- Accepted 28 October 2002
Birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR) is a rare inflammatory disease, which generally follows a chronic course of progressive loss of vision to 6/60 or worse.1 However, the vision may stabilise1 or, rarely, improve slightly.2 Commonly prescribed treatment regimens, including oral steroids, and one or two immunosuppressive agents, may stabilise but generally do not cure the condition.3
We describe a case of BSCR in which there was a marked improvement in Snellen acuity and retinal function, measured with wide field multifocal electroretinography (WF-mfERG),4,5 in a patient intolerant of conventional treatment, who self medicated with an antioxidant preparation.
CASE REPORT
A 53 year old white woman was referred with a 2 year history of decreased vision and floaters affecting both eyes. Snellen acuity was 6/24, N8 in the right eye and 6/12, N8 in the left eye. Moderate vitritis, cystoid macular oedema, swelling of the optic discs, and the presence of scattered, deep, pale creamy white lesions, were compatible with a diagnosis of BSCR, supported by positive HLA-A29 serology.
A reducing dose of oral prednisolone in conjunction with cyclosporin was commenced. There was no improvement in visual …
