Article

CME: Patient with vitritis has sudden loss of vision in one eye

A 58-year-old Caucasian woman presented to the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Emergency Department complaining of sudden loss of vision in the right eye 1 day prior. She denied pain or trauma to the right eye. Medical history was significant for poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity.

A 58-year-old Caucasian woman presented to the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Emergency Department complaining of sudden loss of vision in the right eye 1 day prior. She denied pain or trauma to the right eye.

Ocular history was significant for trauma to the left eye sustained during a motor vehicle accident 14 years prior. Medical history was significant for poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity. Review of systems was negative for any recent illness, fever, or headache.

Examination

Differential diagnosis

Inflammatory and connective tissue causes must be considered, such as sympathetic ophthalmia (especially given this patient's history of trauma to the fellow eye), pars planitis, sarcoidosis, or Behçet's disease. Finally, one must consider neoplastic causes such as primary intraocular lymphoma, which may masquerade as a variety of infectious or inflammatory conditions.

Clinical course

Related Videos
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) NeuroOp Guru: The role of muscle biopsy in heteroplasmy detection
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) AGS 2025: Achieving success as an academic ophthalmologist with Thomas V. Johnson III, MD, PhD
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) AGS 2025: Constance Okeke, MD, highlights 1-year Streamline canaloplasty outcomes
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) AGS 2025: Telemedicine and genetics for resource-efficient care with Louis R. Pasquale, MD
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.