Retinal and choroidal vaso-occlusive disease in systemic lupus erythematosus associated with antiphospholipid antibodies.

Three patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with anti-phospholipid antibodies are reported. All three had severe vaso-occlusive disease: the first had an unilateral vaso-occlusive retinopathy, the second an unilateral central retinal venous obstruction, and the third a bilateral ischemic choroidopathy. The association of these occlusive ocular vascular diseases with the presence of the lupus anticoagulant and other associated factors in SLE is discussed.