Purtscher Like Retinopathy Secondary to HELLP Syndrome: A Case Report

Document Type : Case articles

Authors

National University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Purtscher like retinopathy is a rare ocular condition with a clinical appearance similar to Purtscher retinopathy, without any history of trauma. It presents with acute vision loss in the presence of some underlying disease with retinal hemorrhages present within the posterior pole of the eye on ophthalmic examination. We present a case of a 28-year lady gravida 1 para 1 referred to our tertiary care ophthalmology service with chief complaints of sudden loss of vision in both eyes. She was a known case of pregnancy induced hypertension at 32+1 weeks and was on 3 weekly follow up with her gynecologist when she was found to have a blood pressure of 210/130 mmHg. She was admitted to the high dependency unit (HDU). Based on examination findings and clinical presentation she was diagnosed as a case of Purtscher Like Retinopathy. On serial exams her retinal thickening resolved and her visual acuity improved to 6/9 unaided in both eyes at 4 weeks. The condition appears to be self-limiting and patients often recover from visual loss without any particular ophthalmic intervention.

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