Purpose: To report the clinical course and the retinal imaging features of a case of cytology-proven primary vitreoretinal lymphoma (PVRL) presenting with a transient bacillary layer detachment (BALAD) during the disease course.
Methods: Observational case report.
Results: A 50 year-old woman was referred to us with a 2-month history of vitritis in both eyes, poorly responding to oral prednisolone. After discontinuation of oral prednisolone, worsening of vitritis and the appearance of multiple creamy-like subretinal infiltrates in the mid-peripheral retina of both eyes, along with the exclusion of common causes of intermediate/posterior uveitis, made us consider PVRL. Aqueous humor sampling detected MYD88 L265P mutation, and subsequent diagnostic pars plana vitrectomy in the left eye yielded a positive cytology for large B cell lymphoma consistent with PVRL. During the disease course, optical coherence tomography of the macula showed a BALAD in the right eye, which resolved during follow-up.
Conclusion: Our case indicates that BALAD is a possible rare manifestation of PVRL, and this should be considered in the differential diagnosis process in order to avoid diagnostic delays.
Keywords: Bacillary layer detachment; MYD88 L265P mutation; ocular oncology; primary vitreoretinal lymphoma; retinal imaging.