[Retinal vasculitis in Crohn's disease: a case report]

Introduction: Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Numerous extra-intestinal complications can affect different organ in the body (kidneys, eyes...). Posterior ocular manifestation is rare and retinal vasculitis is exceptional.

Observation: We present a case of a 55-year- old men in whom Crohn's disease was diagnosed in 1985 and considered severe treated by corticosteroid end then by immunosuppressive therapy. He lost his right eye few years ago. He presented a sudden loss of vision of the good eye. Physical examination found visual acuity reduced to light perception without sign of anterior inflammation. Ophthalmoscopic examination found different retinal vasculitis involving veins, papillitis, cystoid macular oedema; all these findings were confirmed by fluorescein angiography and OCT. Corticosteroid treatment with a dose of 1mg/Kg/day was instituted with precaution of use and a wide follow up with favourable evolution during 9 months.

Conclusion: Retinal vasculitis is rare during Crohn's disease. It can be a severe ocular lesion and causes therapeutic and prognosis problems, especially in a patient with only one functional eye.