Vitrectomy in ocular toxocariasis
J. B. Belmont, A. Irvine, W. Benson and G. R. O'Connor
Subtotal pars plana vitrectomy was performed in four patients with chronic
toxocaral endophthalmitis. In two instances, chronic intraocular
inflammation proved unresponsive to intensive corticosteroid therapy, but
improved dramatically following vitrectomy. In one patient, a dense
retrolenticular membrane was removed, and intractable amblyopia was
prevented. Vitrectomy relieved vitreoretinal traction involving the macula
in two instances and cured a peripheral traction retinal detachment in a
third. Information gleaned from these cases suggests new guidelines for the
laboratory confirmation of ocular toxocariasis. Patients with toxocaral
endophthalmitis may benefit from pars plana vitrectomy when chronic
inflammation does not respond to medical measures or when such inflammation
causes permanent structural changes that threaten or interfere with central
vision.
