Sub-internal limiting membrane hemorrhage associated with Weil's disease

Abstract

Purpose: Leptospirosis is a rare, typically tropical disease associated with water sources infected with rat urine. Symptoms can range from asymptomatic to a severe, deadly form known as Weil's disease, and ocular manifestations can arise. As global temperatures continue to rise, leptospirosis will become a larger problem worldwide. Here we describe the first case to our knowledge of foveal sub-internal limiting membrane (sub-ILM) hemorrhage due to Weil's disease. Observations: A 56-year-old female presented with floaters and decreased vision to 20/200 in the right eye after being hospitalized for Weil's disease. Funduscopic examination and optical coherence tomography (OCT) demonstrated a foveal sub-ILM hemorrhage in the right eye. The patient was treated with pars-plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane removal and blood aspiration, and her best corrected visual acuity improved to 20/60. Conclusions and Importance: Here we report the first case of sub-ILM hemorrhage following Weil's disease. Patients with leptospirosis and Weil's disease can develop retinal complications and therefore should be followed with fundoscopic eye examination after resolution of systemic symptoms. For those with retinal hemorrhages, OCT evaluation should be used to differentiate sub-hyaloid and sub-ILM hemorrhages. Keywords: Leptospirosis, Sub-internal limiting membrane hemorrhage, Pars-plana vitrectomy, Pre-retinal hemorrhage, Weil's disease