Amjad Akram, Imran Akram.
Intraocular Tuberculosis: `A Three-Year Study`.
Pak J Ophthalmol Jan ;16(3):110-6.

Intraocular tuberculosis can have a varied presentation. The diagnosis may be difficult because Intraocular tissues are not readily available for histopathology and culture. Moreover, it may or may not be associated with systemic tuberculosis. When intraocular disease coexists with systemic disease, the diagnosis of intraocular disease is greatly facilitated owing to clinical evidence. But when intraocular disease Is not associated with clinically detectable systemic disease then it becomes a challenge for the ophthalmologist to establish a diagnosis of intraocular tuberculosis. A large number of investigations are available in this regard but most of them provide indirect evidence, and diagnosis of intraocular tuberculosis Is often presumed. Some of these investigations are readily available in most hospitals, while others, such as intraocular biopsy, are performed only at specialized centers. The objectives of our study Included evaluation of those investigative procedures which are readily available and to judge their efficacy In helping to establish a diagnosis of Intraocular tuberculosis. Furthermore, the various clinical presentations of Intraocular tuberculosis have also been reviewed. In a series of 105 patients with uveltis, 18 were presumed to have a tuberculoss etiology. Out of these, 10 patients had choroidal tubercles and this was the commonest ocular feature in our study. Six patients had periphlebitis retinae, while two showed granulomatous anterior uveitis. Various investigations were used in support of the diagnosis, which provided Indirect evidence of Intraocular tuberculosis. Except for two, all patients responded well to therapy. In all cases the diagnosis was presumptive since we had no facility for taking an Intraocular biopsy.

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