Mild blurry vision as the initial presentation of central nervous system relapses of acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Leukemia relapses after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can sometimes occur from the central nervous system prior to relapse from the bone marrow, and manifestations varied. CASE REPORT: We present a case of mild blurry vision as the initial symptom of central nervous system relapse of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A 30-year-old man presented with a 1 week history of painless visual loss in both eyes. At that time there were no headaches or other systemic features. The neurological examination was without positive findings except bilateral optic nerve edema. He had a history of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which had been in clinical remission post-transplant for 1 year. Lumbar puncture revealed relapsed disease within the central nervous system, confirmed with cerebrospinal fluid leukemic blasts. CONCLUSIONS: It highlights the need for ophthalmologists to be aware of the possibility of central nervous system involvement in patients with the setting of leukemia when visual symptoms as the initial manifestation.

Encephalitis with Prolonged but Reversible Splenial Lesion.

INTRODUCTION: The splenium of the corpus callosum has a specific structure of blood supply with a tendency towards blood-brain barrier breakdown, intramyelinic edema, and damage due to hypoxia or toxins. Signs and symptoms of reversible syndrome of the splenium of the corpus callosum typically include disorientation, confusion, impaired consciousness, and epileptic seizures. CASE REPORT: A previously healthy 32-year-old man suffered from weakness, headache, and fever. Subsequently, he developed apathy, ataxia, and inability to walk, and therefore was admitted to the hospital. Cerebrospinal fluid showed protein elevation (0.9 g/l) and pleocytosis (232/1 ul). A brain MRI showed hyperintense lesions in the middle of the corpus callosum. The patient was treated with antibiotics, and subsequently, in combination with steroids. Two months later, the hyperintense lesions in the splenium and the basal ganglia had disappeared. Almost seven months since his hospitalization in the Department of Neurology, the patient has returned to his previous employment. He now does not exhibit any mental changes, an optic edema and urological problems have improved. In addition, he is now actively engaged in sports. CONCLUSION: We have described a case of a 32-year-old man with confusion, ataxia, and inability to stand and walk. The man developed a febrile meningeal syndrome and a hyperintense lesion of the splenium, which lasted for two months. Neurological changes, optic nerve edema, and urinary retention have resolved over the course of seven months. We think that the prolonged but transient lesion of the splenium may have been caused by encephalitis of viral origin.

Vision loss due to atypical bilateral edema of the optic nerve in a patient with hereditary angioedema: A case report.

PURPOSE: To describe a rare case of vision loss due to bilateral edema of the optic nerve in a patient with Hereditary Angioedema, treated with prophylactic C1-esterase inhibitor. METHODS: A 60-year-old Caucasian male affected by Hereditary Angioedema with unknown genetic defect (HAE- UNK) was admitted to our hospital presenting bilateral vision loss (best corrected visual acuity of 20/32 in the right eye and hand motion in the left eye) during an HAE attack. Intravenous administration of C1- esterase inhibitor (C1-INH, 1500 IU, Berinert, CSL Behring) determined the resolution of facial and periorbital swelling, however visual impairment persisted, in contrast with previous attacks experienced by the patient. Fundus examination revealed a vital optic disc without papilledema in both eyes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head and orbits showed bilateral edema of the optic nerve sheath. Treatment with intravenous and oral steroids was ineffective. Subsequently, a prophylactic treatment strategy with subcutaneous C1-esterase inhibitor was started (7000 IU every four days). RESULTS: Complete regression of edema of the optic nerves was observed by imaging at two months of follow-up after chronic treatment with C1-esterase inhibitor (7000 IU every four days). Complete restoration of visual acuity was achieved (BCVA 20/20 in both eyes) and multimodal imaging of the optic nerves demonstrated the absence of anatomical and functional damage. CONCLUSION: Patients affected by HAE may show atypical presentation with edema of the optic nerves without involvement of the optic nerve head. They may significantly benefit from prophylactic and chronic treatment with C1-esterase inhibitor.

Not everything is ischemic optic neuropathy.

A 71-year-old woman developed sudden, painful, decreased vision in the left eye accompanied by progressive instability. Initial examination revealed left optic disc edema, and macular optical coherence tomography confirmed the presence of intraretinal and subretinal fluid, as well as hyperreflective material under the retinal pigment epithelium. Subsequent investigations, including brain magnetic resonance imaging and a comprehensive serological analysis, ruled out infectious and autoimmune causes, further complicating the diagnostic picture. The patient's vision in both eyes continued to deteriorate, prompting empirical corticosteroid treatment. While the vision improved, the case took an unexpected turn with worsening neurological symptoms. Ultimately a brain biopsy was consistent with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Pediatric Central Retinal Vein Occlusion Secondary to Concurrent Mechanisms of Optic Neuritis and Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

Purpose: To report a pediatric case of optic neuritis with subsequent development of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). Methods: A case and its findings were analyzed. Results: A 16-year-old boy presented with painful vision loss in the left eye, an afferent pupillary defect, and optic disc edema. Magnetic resonance imaging showed optic nerve enhancement and contrast-enhancing cerebral white-matter lesions, consistent with optic neuritis and demyelinating disease. He received intravenous methylprednisolone followed by a prednisone taper. At the 3-week follow-up, the visual acuity (VA) in the left eye had worsened and fundoscopic examination showed a new CRVO. A hypercoagulable workup showed antiphospholipid syndrome, which was treated with warfarin. He received intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor treatment with subsequent improvement in VA and resolution of the macular edema. Conclusions: This case describes an unusual mechanism for CRVO via a combination of optic disc edema from optic neuritis and hypercoagulability from antiphospholipid syndrome. It is important to recognize this complication of optic disc edema and the necessary workup for a pediatric CRVO.

Pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome induced Panuveitis associated with SARS-CoV- 2 infection: What the Ophthalmologists need to know.

The diagnosis of bilateral panuveitis was made in a 9-year-old girl who was referred to our hospital for blurred vision accompanied by periorbital and abdominal pain. Endothelial dusting, vitreous haze and optic nerve edema were deemed as signs of involvement of all segments of the eye. The bloodwork results were suggestive of infectious uveitis, with elevated inflammatory markers and the patient was treated with IV antibiotics. Cerebral-CT was normal, screening for common infectious causes of uveitis and cultures were negative. There was no history of autoimmune disease, and autoimmune antibody tests were negative. Pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome induced panuveitis, secondary to SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS), was suspected by the infectious disease consultant. The syndrome commonly affects school-age children and represents a generalized inflammatory response in the body that appears about one month after the initial infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Initial symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, eye redness, rashes, dizziness, accompanied by laboratory evidence of inflammation unexplained by any other plausible cause. The patient's coronavirus IgG titer was positive, while the RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 virus, taken from the nasopharyngeal swab, was negative. As all the other investigations turned out negative, COVID-19 was the only presumptive cause for the pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS). A diagnosis of probable COVID-19 induced uveitis was made and the patient started IV Dexamethasone, followed by oral steroids that were gradually tapered and made a full recovery. The aim of this report was to shed light and enrich the scarce literature available on Uveitis as a sign of pediatric inflammatory syndrome following COVID-19 infection. Abbreviations: ACE2 = Angiotensin converting enzyme 2, ANA = Antinuclear antibodies, c-ANCA, p-ANCA = Cytoplasmic and perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies, BCVA = Best corrected visual acuity, CMV = Cytomegalovirus, COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019, CRE = Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, CRP = C-Reactive Protein, EBV = Epstein Barr virus, ESBL = Extended spectrum beta-lactamase, ESR = Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, FCoV = Feline coronavirus, MDR = Multidrug resistant, MRSA = methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MHV = mouse hepatitis virus, MIS-C = multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, NSAID = Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, NT pro BNP = precursor natriuretic brain peptide, PIMS-TS = Pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2, RNFL = Retinal nerve fiber layer, SARS CoV-2 = severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SD-OCT = Spectral domain optical coherence tomography, VRE = Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci.

Intracranial hypertension associated with topical tretinoin use.

PURPOSE: To report cross-reactivity between topical vitamin A derivatives and tetracycline-class antibiotics. OBSERVATIONS: A 19-year old woman with a remote history of resolved secondary intracranial hypertension due to minocycline use developed intracranial hypertension while using topical tretinoin alone. Examination demonstrated bilateral optic nerve edema, a right sixth cranial nerve palsy, along with characteristic features of markedly elevated intracranial pressure on imaging. Lumbar puncture opening pressure was 60 cmH2O. Cessation of topical tretinoin use ensued complete resolution of symptoms and optic nerve swelling in both eyes. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Our findings substantiate the need to avoid topical vitamin A derivatives and alternate drug classes known to be associated with drug-induced intracranial hypertension.

Atypical acute presentation of an optic nerve sheath meningioma.

PURPOSE: Primary optic nerve sheath meningiomas (ONSM) are benign lesions that typically present with findings of painless proptosis (59%), optic nerve pallor (55%), and decreased peripheral vision (35%). Herein we share an atypical case of a patient who presented acutely with periorbital pain and optic nerve head edema, and was ultimately determined to have a low-grade optic nerve meningioma. OBSERVATIONS: A 36-year-old healthy woman presented with acute onset of left periorbital discomfort. She was found to have intact visual acuity, full peripheral vision, and ipsilateral optic nerve edema. MRI imaging revealed a large intraconal mass partially encircling the left optic nerve. Incisional biopsy revealed a diagnosis of meningioma, WHO grade 1. CONCLUSIONS: Low-grade optic nerve sheath meningiomas may uncommonly present with acute pain and optic nerve head swelling, and absence of classic disease features.

[Clinical features and etiologies of acute neuroretinitis in southern Tunisia]. / Profil clinique et étiologique des neurorétinites aiguës dans le sud tunisien.

INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of neuroretinitis is clinical, with optic nerve involvement and a macular star. The most common etiology is cat scratch disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study of 7 patients (7 eyes) with neuroretinitis. A complete ophthalmic examination, fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography were performed for all patients. A focused etiological work-up was conducted. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 41.6 years [27-51 years]. Decreased visual acuity was the most common reason for consultation. The neuroretinitis was unilateral in all cases. Subclinical serous retinal detachment was noted in 5 patients. The common etiologies were rickettsiosis (4 cases) and tuberculosis (1 case). Leber's idiopathic stellate neuroretinitis was concluded by the negativity of the etiological investigation. Doxycycline was the treatment of choice for rickettsiosis. CONCLUSION: Rickettsiosis appears to be more common than cat scratch disease as an etiology of neuroretinitis in the present study in southern Tunisia. Moreover, the clinical association of a serous retinal detachment, rarely reported in the literature, seems to be more frequent in our series.

Late onset of unilateral optic disk edema secondary to treatment with imatinib mesylate.

Prompt ophthalmology evaluation and immediate imatinib suspension should be suggested at any time of tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in patients with visual deficit, as it may be a clinical manifestation of optic disk edema, and suspension may help in prompt recovery.

Reversal of early central retinal vein occlusion by alleviating optic nerve edema with an intravitreal dexamethasone implant.

This case describes the reversal of early central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) with disc swelling after intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex) injection. A 44-year-old female presented with sudden-onset intermittent blurred vision in her left eye. Fundus examination revealed multiple retinal hemorrhages without macular edema (ME). Two weeks later, an increased number of retinal hemorrhages with severe disc swelling were noted with still no sign of ME. An intravitreal dexamethasone implant was injected. Five days later, there were improvements in disc swelling and retinal hemorrhage. One month later, her subjective visual symptoms were completely improved, and fundus examination revealed marked improvement along with almost complete resolution of disc swelling. Intravitreal dexamethasone implant injection may potentially change the natural course of CRVO progression and its various subsequent complications.

Reversal of Early Central Retinal Vein Occlusion by Alleviating Optic Nerve Edema with an Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant

This case describes the reversal of early central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) with disc swelling after intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex) injection. A 44-year-old female presented with sudden-onset intermittent blurred vision in her left eye. Fundus examination revealed multiple retinal hemorrhages without macular edema (ME). Two weeks later, an increased number of retinal hemorrhages with severe disc swelling were noted with still no sign of ME. An intravitreal dexamethasone implant was injected. Five days later, there were improvements in disc swelling and retinal hemorrhage. One month later, her subjective visual symptoms were completely improved, and fundus examination revealed marked improvement along with almost complete resolution of disc swelling. Intravitreal dexamethasone implant injection may potentially change the natural course of CRVO progression and its various subsequent complications.