Bilateral ocular ischemic syndrome secondary to giant cell arteritis progressing despite corticosteroid treatment.

PURPOSE: To report the development of a bilateral ocular ischemic syndrome despite corticosteroid treatment in a patient with giant cell arteritis.

METHOD: Case report.

RESULTS: Despite receiving high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone and oral prednisone for biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis that presented as a severe anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in the right eye, a patient developed progressive ocular ischemia in that eye as well as an ocular ischemic syndrome in the fellow eye.

CONCLUSIONS: Some patients with giant cell arteritis, possibly patients with other underlying systemic vasculopathies, are refractory to what should be adequate treatment with systemic corticosteroids and may develop a bilateral ocular ischemic syndrome.