Ocular manifestations of antiphospholipid (Hughes)' syndrome--minor features?

The ocular manifestations are described in autoimmune disease, being most common associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and dermatomyositis. Nonetheless, the antiphospholipid syndrome is a relatively newly recognized autoimmune disorder. Ocular conditions in which to consider antiphospholipid syndrome include amaurosis fugax, transient ischemic attack, retinal haemorrhages and cotton wool spots, central retinal vein and artery occlusion, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, ophthalmic and cilioretinal artery occlusions.

Ocular migraine and antiphospholipid antibodies--where we stand?

There is no doubt that ocular migraine also known as retinal migraine or ophthalmic migraine should not to be confused with ophthalmoplegic migraine. The hallmark of ocular migraine is the unilateral visual loss or "monocular transient loss of vision" associated or followed by the headache. Better safe than sorry, therefore an ophthalmologic examination during the migraine attack is the most diagnostic method.

Acute manifestations of autoimmune connective tissue diseases.

Autoimmune connective tissue diseases are common conditions that often present non-specifically. Clinicians in emergency departments and acute medical assessment units may face these patients. This article provides an overview for the non-specialist clinician on the acute manifestations that may occur in these patients.

Clinical controversy in orbitary cholesteatoma.

Cholesterol granulomas are tumor-like lesions very rarely encountered in the orbital, frontal sinus, and maxillary sinus sites but with higher frequency in the middle-ear and petrous apex. Theoretically, cholesterol granulomas develop as a reaction to localized hemorrhages, often occurring in bony sites with no blood and blood products drainage. We present 5 cases with exophthalmoses, namely, 3 cases with granuloma and 2 cases with cholesteatoma, all being characterized by the presence of cholesterol spikes at the histologic examination.

Vascular tumors in the orbit--capillary and cavernous hemangiomas.

Vascular tumors in the orbit result from new formation of vessels, proliferation of tissue components of the vessel wall, and hyperplasia of cellular elements ordinarily concerned with the genesis of vascular tissue. These vasculogenic lesions constitute the largest group of primary orbital tumors; we present the capillary hemangioma and the cavernous hemangioma.

[Neuro-ophthalmologic aspects in antiphospholipid syndrome].

Antiphospholipid syndrome is the one autoimmune noninflammatory syndrome affecting all blood vessels at any vascular segment, irrespective of the vascular size and topography. Defined in 1983 by Hughes, this syndrome represents the actual research theme in practically all medical fields, therefore the importance of antiphospholipid syndrome is recognized. The major aim of this article is to describe the neuro-ophthalmologic manifestations of the antiphospholipid syndrome, emphasizing the latest news about this syndrome and its impact on the retina and central nervous system.