Bilateral central retinal artery occlusion as presenting manifestation of human immunodeficiency virus infection

ABSTRACT

A 30-year-old male with bilateral acute visual loss presented with retinal edema in the posterior pole and peripapillary region with extensive retinal hemorrhages. Fluorescein angiography revealed delayed arterial filling in the right eye and absent arterial filling in the left eye, suggesting bilateral central retinal artery occlusion. Systemic evaluation revealed a history of chronic low-grade fever and generalized lymphadenopathy. HIV (ELISA) was positive, and other systemic comorbidities were ruled out. Cervical lymph node biopsy stained positive for acid-fast bacilli, with large areas of necrosis, palisaded by epithelioid cell granulomas, macrophages, and multinucleated giant cells, suggesting lymph node tuberculosis. Despite antiretroviral and antitubercular therapy, he developed optic atrophy at 4 weeks.