INTRAOCULAR TUBERCULOSIS - CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF 5 CASES

Background: Intraocular tuberculosis is a rare disease. Only approxima tely 18 cases of microbiologically or histopathologically proven cases of intraocular tuberculosis have been reported. Methods: Between 1984 and 1994, five cases of intraocular tuberculosis were confirmed micro biologically and histopathologically from intraocular specimens in the authors' uveitis clinic. Systemic antitubercular treatment was instit uted, along with the treatment for the ocular inflammation. Results: C linical presentation included subretinal abscess (two cases), granulom atous anterior uveitis with scleral perforation, an exudative mass in the anterior chamber, and choroidal mass with panuveitis (one case eac h). Aqueous aspirate in three patients and eviscerated material in the other two showed presence of acid fast bacilli. One globe that requir ed enucleation revealed granulomatous inflammation with caseation necr osis. Two patients showed a significant response to antitubercular the rapy, whereas the other three patients eventually required evisceratio n or enucleation. Conclusions: Intraocular tuberculosis can have prote an manifestations and variable response to systemic antitubercular the rapy.