Ocular manifestations of HIV: A hospital based study

Background: HIV is a global health issue of unparalleled proportions and unprecedented emergency, with diverse health and economic implications. As per 2017 global HIV statistics, 36.9 million people globally were living with HIV. It is estimated that 70% of adult HIV population will experience an ocular complication at some stage of life. Revelation of ocular complications can be the presenting sign of a systemic infection in an otherwise asymptomatic person. The clinical presentation may be modified by HAART, which dramatically improves prognosis. This study intended to outline the magnitude of the problem of HIV in our community and to determine the spectrum of ocular manifestations of HIV, and their clinical outcomes at our tertiary care centre. Materials and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was done on 30 HIV-positive patients presented to ophthalmology clinic in a tertiary care centre. Data were collected using face-to-face interview, clinical examination with slit lamp biomicroscopy, direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy and laboratory investigations, and analyzed in terms of ocular manifestations and associated immune status. Conclusion: Dry eyes were the most common anterior segment manifestation encountered in our study. HIV retinopathy remained the most common posterior segment manifestation. CMV retinitis was the next common lesion and most common opportunistic infection in the study with poor immune status. In our study the most common coexistent systemic disease was Systemic tuberculosis.