Ocular toxoplasmosis presenting as neuroretinitis:: report of two cases

Background: Neuroretinitis is a clinical entity usually seen in young healthy adults, that is characterized by rapid profound unilateral loss of vision and includes optic nerve head edema, splinter hemorrhages, macular exudate in a stellate pattern, and variable vitreous inflammation. There are numerous entities that can cause a picture of neuroretinitis ranging from vascular to infectious to autoimmune. Patient and methods: We report two patients with neuroretinitis, who presented with unilateral blurred vision and had serologic evidence of Toxoplasma gondii infection. Results: Both patients responded well to treatment with systemic antibiotics and corticosteroids. Visual acuity returned to 20/60 in one patient and 20/20 in the other. Conclusion: Although the etiology is usually idiopathic, infectious causes of neuroretinitis, including toxoplasmosis, should be kept in mind in order to maintain visual acuity by early diagnosis and appropriate therapy.