Retinal Vasculitis in a Patient with Ankylosing Spondylitis: A rare Association.

PURPOSE: To report a case of retinal vasculitis in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis.

BACKGROUND

Posterior segment involvement in HLA B-27-associated uveitis is uncommon but we report a case wherein retinal vasculitis was associated with HLA-B 27 uveitis.

CASE: A 36-year-old male, a diagnosed case of ankylosing spondylitis, presented to us with severe anterior segment inflammation associated vitritis in both the eyes. He received topical, oral steroid and immunosuppressive and 3½-month after the control of his uveitis, he underwent cataract surgery in his left eye. Fundus evaluation following cataract surgery revealed sclerosed retinal vessels and wide-field fundus fluorescein angiography confirmed retinal vascular involvement in both the eyes.

CONCLUSION

Retinal vasculitis, though rare can occur in patients with ankylosing spondylitis especially in conditions which present with panuveitis-like picture.