Dengue-Induced Ocular Complications

The prevalence of dengue-associated ocular complications has been estimated up to 40%. There is a wide spectrum of dengue-associated ophthalmic complications including retinal vasculitis, retinal edema, anterior uveitis, optic neuritis, ischemic optic neuropathy, retinal pigment epithelial disturbance, exudative retinal detachment, and branch retinal artery occlusion. The chief ocular complaints in dengue patients are eye strain, retroocular pain, blurred vision, foreign body sensation, diplopia, photopsia, and floaters. Anterior and posterior segment of the eye is primarily infected with dengue virus resulting in wide range of manifestations. The management of each ophthalmic intricacy is specific to the disease and location of lesions. The prognosis of dengue eye disease depends on the nature and severity of the eye involvement. Patients with ocular involvements may have spontaneous resolution of symptoms or sometimes may lead to blindness even during the treatment. Patients may experience color vision impairment and persistent paracentral scotoma even after several months of clinical resolution. This chapter explains various ocular manifestations which occur among dengue patients.