Purpose
To describe viral retinitis following intravitreal and periocular
corticosteroid administration.
Methods
Retrospective case series and comprehensive literature review.
Results
We analyzed 5 unreported and 25 previously published cases of viral
retinitis following local corticosteroid administration. Causes of retinitis
included 23 CMV (76.7%), 5 HSV (16.7%), and 1 each VZV and
unspecified (3.3%). Two of 22 tested patients (9.1%) were
HIV positive. Twenty-one of 30 (70.0%) cases followed one or more
intravitreal injections of triamcinolone acetonide (TA), 4 (13.3%)
after one or more posterior sub-Tenon injections of TA, 3 (10.0%)
after placement of a 0.59-mg fluocinolone acetonide implant (Retisert), and
1 (3.3%) each after an anterior subconjunctival injection of TA
(together with IVTA), an anterior chamber injection, and an anterior
sub-Tenon injection. Mean time from most recent corticosteroid
administration to development of retinitis was 4.2 months (median 3.8; range
0.25–13.0). Twelve patients (40.0%) had type II diabetes
mellitus. Treatments used included systemic antiviral agents (26/30,
86.7%), intravitreal antiviral injections (20/30, 66.7%),
and ganciclovir intravitreal implants (4/30, 13.3%).
Conclusions
Viral retinitis may develop or reactivate following intraocular or
periocular corticosteroid administration. Average time to development of
retinitis was 4 months, and CMV was the most frequently observed agent.
Diabetes was a frequent co-morbidity and several patients with uveitis who
developed retinitis were also receiving systemic immunosuppressive
therapy.