gms | German Medical Science

Morphological hints from the type of intraocular vasculitic lesions besides other findings can give important information about a possible systemic association of intraocular inflammation. A multifocal periphlebitis e.g. should always alert to sarcoidosis while a continuous type of perivenous sheathing should let the clinician think of multiple sclerosis. Arteriolar vasculitis should indicate an infectious origin like herpetic vasculitis (ARN, CMV-retinitis) in the differential diagnosis.

The formation of neovascularizations during intraocular inflammation uses different pathomechanisms than other diseases like diabetic retinopathy. Therefore, therapeutic strategies are discussed controversially accordingly. Medical option of treatment (immunosuppressive, immunomodulatory) as well as the use of laser coagulation and photodynamic therapy (PDT) for choroidal neovascularization during intraocular inflammation will be discussed.