[On a problem of syphilitic damage of the eye].

Clinical features and epidemiology of syphilitic damage of the eye in Smolensk region was studied in 1996-2008 period. 32 medical charts of patients with ophthalmosyphilis were analyzed. Ophthalmosyphilis is usually registered in patients with secondary syphilis with disease duration more than 6 months (56.3%) and in patients with late neurosyphilis (40.6%). The diagnosis was established in 24.5+4.8 (from 14 till 34) days after clinical presentation. Clinical forms of ophthalmosyphilis included bilateral uveitis (15.6%), optic neuritis (15.8%), iridocyclitis (12.5%) and choreoretinitis (12.5%). Complications of ophthalmosyphilis included optic nerve atrophy developed in 6.2%, cataract--6.2% and glaucoma--3.1%. In epidemiologically unfavorable situation caution should be taken by ophthalmologists in terms of syphilitic infection, appropriate laboratory tests should be considered.