Transient Bacillary Layer Detachment During the Disease Course of Primary Vitreoretinal Lymphoma.

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 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.