Ophthalmic Complications of Dengue

Abstract

We report 13 cases of ophthalmic complications resulting from dengue infection in Singapore. We performed a retrospective analysis of a series of 13 patients with dengue fever who had visual impairment. Investigations included Humphrey automated visual field analyzer, Amsler charting, fundus fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography. Twenty-two eyes of 13 patients were affected. The mean age of patients was 31.7 years. Visual acuity varied from 20/25 to counting fingers only. Twelve patients (92.3%) noted central vision impairment. Onset of visual impairment coincided with the nadir of serum thrombocytopenia. Ophthalmologic findings include macular edema and blot hemorrhages (10), cotton wool spots (1), retinal vasculitis (4), exudative retinal detachment (2), and anterior uveitis (1). All patients recovered visual acuity to 20/30 or better with residual central scotoma by 12 weeks. These new complications suggest a widening spectrum of ophthalmic complications in dengue infection.

Keywords

• Dengue hemorrhagic fever
• retinopathy
• maculopathy
• vasculitis
• inflammation
• eye