A paper, written by doctors from the Department of Ophthalmology at University Vita-Salute in Milan, has reminded us of how important it is to make sure that we have the correct diagnosis.  Just because we appear to have typical Birdshot lesions, and are HLA A29 positive, does not automatically mean we have Birdshot.  It is really important to rule out all other possible causes for our symptoms before Birdshot is diagnoses.

The Doctors highlight a case of a 43 year old woman who presented with bilateral (that means in both eyes) vitritis (inflammation of the vitreous body – one of the symptoms of Birdshot) and lesions that looked like the typical birdshot lesions. She tested positive for HLA A29 and was diagnosed with Birdshot.

However, she did not seem to respond to immunosuppressants, and there were some neurological symptoms she was experiencing.  Her diagnosis was re-evaluated, and she was diagnosed with intraocular lymphoma – a very different condition to Birdshot.

The doctors felt it important to write up this case to highlight the importance of careful follow up of patients with chronic uveitis and re-evaluation of systemic symptoms and signs.

Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09273948.2012.689074