Cytomegalovirus Retinitis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
Posted by Accuspire on Jul 14th 2020
CMV retinitis or Cytomegalovirus retinitis is a serious virus infection affecting the retina. It mostly affects people whose immunity system is weak.
Cytomegalovirus retinitis symptoms:
Floaters can appear slowly on eyes associated with blurred vision. There is also loss of peripheral vision and sometimes there is also loss of central vision. This condition usually occurs in one eye at first and then attacks the second eye. Sometimes there is formation of blind spot in the centre of vision. If it is not treated immediately, it will affect the retina and optic nerve, leading to blindness. Detached retina often develops in some people.
Cytomegalovirus retinitis causes:
This condition is caused by cytomegalovirus, one of the herpes viruses. Mostly adults get affected because of this virus and most people won’t have any symptoms at all. This virus is effective on people, whose immunity system is weak and finally attacks the retina, leading to severe eye problems.
People who have HIV/AIDS, people who had organ transplant and people who are undergoing immunosuppressive therapy for cancer or leukemia are at the risk of having this disease. CMV retinitis is a common problem for people with HIV or AIDS.
Cytomegalovirus diagnosis:
Dilating eye drops are used to diagnose this condition.
Cytomegalovirus treatment:
Having a strong immune system is very important to ease this condition. And for HIV/AIDS patient, highly active antiretroviral therapy is useful for strengthening the immune system. Antiviral medicine like Ganciclovir is used to ease this condition and is taken orally, by injection or through any implant in eyes. Sometimes laser surgery is done to repair the retina where damage has occurred.
