Ocular manifestations in the acute phase of leptospirosis.

OBJECTIVES: To study the ocular manifestations during the acute phase of leptospirosis and their incidence in hospitalized patients due to systemic complications, and to verify the importance of routine ophthalmologic care in these cases.

METHODS: Twenty-one patients, 20 males and 1 female, with clinical and laboratory (ELISA IgM) diagnoses of leptospirosis were subjected to ophthalmologic examination.

RESULTS: We observed conjunctival hyperemia in 18 patients (85.7%), increased retinal venous caliber in 12 patients (57.1%), optic disc redness in 12 patients (57.1%), subconjunctival hemorrhage in four patients (19.0%), optic disc edema in one patient (4.8%), retinal vasculitis in one patient (4.8%), retinal hemorrhage in one patient (4.8%), hard exudates in one patient (4.8%), and papillitis in one patient (4.8%). No anterior chamber reaction was found.

CONCLUSIONS: We observed a high incidence of several ocular manifestations in the acute phase of leptospirosis. Despite the systemic severity and high incidence of ocular disorders in the acute phase of leptospirosis, the short-term visual outcome of these patients was good.