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Ocular findings in retinal vasculitis
What ocular findings are seen in patients with retinal vasculitis?
Ophthalmoscopic examination and fluorescein angiography are required for the diagnosis. Vascular sheathing is the most characteristic feature and correlates with a perivascular infiltrate of inflammatory cells seen on pathologic specimens. Other findings may include cotton-wool spots, retinal hemorrhages, retinal or optic disc edema, vitritis, vascular leakage, and capillary dropout. Vessel occlusion (occlusive vasculopathy) can result from inflammatory and noninflammatory etiologies of retinal vasculitis (see Question 35) and may lead to subsequent retinal ischemia, an environment favoring neovascularization.
