Central retinal vein occlusion during remission of ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND

Retinal vascular disease is a rare complication of ulcerative colitis.

CASE: We report a patient who developed unilateral nonischemic central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) (papillophlebitis) without any other retinal vascular disease during remission of ulcerative colitis.

OBSERVATIONS: The best-corrected visual acuities were 1.5 OD and 0.7 OS. Dilated and tortuous retinal veins and retinal bleeding were seen in the left eye. Macular edema and leakage from the papilla and the retinal veins of the left eye were evident on fluorescein angiography. After increased dosage of systemic prednisolone was prescribed, the retinal vascular changes resulting from CRVO (papillophlebitis) in the left eye gradually abated.

CONCLUSIONS

Retinal vascular diseases should be monitored during both remission and activation of intestinal symptoms of ulcerative colitis.