Branch retinal vein occlusion followed by central retinal artery occlusion in Churg-Strauss syndrome: unusual ocular manifestations in allergic granulomatous angiitis.

PURPOSE: To describe a rare branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) followed by central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) in a patient with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS).

METHODS: A 55-year-old man with a not yet diagnosed CSS developed a BRVO in the left eye and 1 year later a CRAO with painless and acute vision loss in the same eye. Medical history included bronchial asthma, history of allergy, eosinophilic pneumonia, bilateral pleuric and pericardial effusion, hypereosinophilia, and purpuric vasculitis.

RESULTS: CRAO in the left eye was diagnosed by retinal whitening and a cherry red spot with coexisting old BRVO evidenced by previous laser photocoagulation. Corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide therapy improved his general condition but no visual recovery occurred.

CONCLUSIONS: BRVO and CRAO can occur in the same eye in CSS. In the presence of systemic signs or symptoms, it is important to rule out systemic vasculitis in order to start appropriate immune-modulatory treatment thereby avoiding unnecessary mortality.