Acute retinal necrosis (patient information)

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Acute retinal necrosis

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Who is at highest risk?

Diagnosis

When to seek urgent medical care?

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Acute retinal necrosis?

Prevention

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Acute retinal necrosis On the Web

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FDA on Acute retinal necrosis

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Directions to Hospitals Treating Acute retinal necrosis

Risk calculators and risk factors for Acute retinal necrosis

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Luke Rusowicz-Orazem, B.S.

Overview

Acute retinal necrosis is an inflammation of the eye, specifically the retina in the eye, that results in the deterioration of retinal tissue. It is caused by viral infection and results in eye pain, redness, and vision problems. It is important to seek treatment for Acute retinal necrosis immediately, as it can lead to complications such as brain inflammation, blindness, and meningitis.

What are the symptoms of Acute retinal necrosis?

It's important to recognize the symptoms of Acute retinal necrosis and seek medical help if you are experiencing the following:

What causes Acute retinal necrosis?

Acute retinal necrosis is caused by viral infections by the following:

Who is at highest risk?

Acute retinal necrosis most often affects those with weakened immune systems, including those suffering from HIV, Diabetes, Chickenpox, Shingles, and Mono. This is particularly the case for those with diseases from the same viruses responsible for Acute retinal necrosis.

Individuals over the age of 50 are most at risk for Acute retinal necrosis from HSV-1, while individuals under the age of 25 are at highest risk for Acute retinal necrosis from HSV-2.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will perform a physical exam to facilitate diagnosis of Acute retinal necrosis (ARN) and may perform additional laboratory tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine the cause:

  • Analysis of liquid from the eye to obtain a live culture or evidence of the viral cause.
  • Laboratory tests to determine if the body is producing antibodies indicative of fighting off a specific virus.
  • Imaging techniques, including CT and MRI scans, to confirm suspected signs of ARN.

When to seek urgent medical care?

You should seek urgent medical care if you are experiencing the following:

Treatment options

Treatment is primarily antiviral therapies targeted to the viral cause, including those administered directly onto the eye as well as injected into the bloodstream. Surgical procedures may be performed if the Acute retinal necrosis case leads to complications.

Where to find medical care for Acute retinal necrosis?

https://www.google.com/#q=Hospitals+treating+Acute+retinal+necrosis&hl=en&authuser=0

Prevention

Preventing acute retinal necrosis involves avoiding contact with individuals infected with the viral causes:

  • Avoiding mouth-to-mouth contact
  • Avoiding sexual contact
  • Spending as little time as possible near individuals with chickenpox to avoid breathing contaminated air
  • Avoiding contact with infected fluids
    • Washing hands frequently
    • Not sharing food or drinks

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Without treatment, Acute retinal necrosis can lead to dangerous complications that can be life-threatening, including brain inflammation and meningitis. Permanent partial or total vision loss is likely without treatment due to the erosion and detachment of the retina of the eye. With treatment, there is a much greater chance of preserving eyesight and preventing life-threatening complications.

There is presently no guaranteed cure to reverse the symptoms; prognosis is improved the earlier the disease is diagnosed and treated with antiviral medication.

Possible complications

Complications from Acute retinal necrosis arise from indefinite symptom worsening and spread of the infection past the retina:

Sources

American Academy of Ophthalmology