Presumed Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome Clinical Presentation

  • Author: Lihteh Wu, MD; Chief Editor: Hampton Roy Sr, MD   more...
 
Updated: Apr 30, 2012
 

History

  • Residents or visitors to endemic areas
  • Prior exposure to chickens, parakeets, or pigeons
  • Distorted vision
  • Sudden, painless loss of central visual acuity
  • Micropsia
  • Positive scotoma
  • Asymptomatic
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Physical

  • Both the vitreous and the anterior chamber are typically clear because of a lack of intraocular inflammation.
  • Punched-out chorioretinal scars (smaller in size than the optic nerve) are called histo spots. Black pigment may appear within or at the margins of these lesions. Linear streaks of atrophic scars in the mid periphery are observed in about 5% of patients with POHS.
  • Peripapillary chorioretinal scarring is present.
  • Macular CNV usually is observed as a gray-green subretinal lesion that is surrounded by subretinal blood and leads to a serous or hemorrhagic macular detachment. CNV is estimated to occur in 5% of eyes affected with POHS.
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Causes

The cause of presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome is H capsulatum.

Smoking

A retrospective case control study has recently identified smoking as an important risk factor (odds ratio, 2.83) for the development of CNV secondary to POHS.[14]

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Lihteh Wu, MD  Consulting Surgeon, Department of Ophthalmology, Vitreo-Retinal Section, Instituto De Cirugia Ocular, Costa Rica

Lihteh Wu, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology, and Retina Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Teodoro Evans, MD  Retina Fellow, St Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Canada

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Russell P Jayne, MD  Consulting Vitreoretinal Surgeon, The Retina Center at Las Vegas

Russell P Jayne, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Medical Association, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and American Society of Retina Specialists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD  Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Steve Charles, MD  Director of Charles Retina Institute; Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee College of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Ophthalmology, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons; Clinical Professor Ophthalmology, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Steve Charles, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, Club Jules Gonin, Macula Society, and Retina Society

Disclosure: Alcon Laboratories Consulting fee Consulting; OptiMedica Ownership interest Other; Topcon Medical Lasers Consulting fee Consulting

Lance L Brown, OD, MD  Ophthalmologist, Affiliated With Freeman Hospital and St John's Hospital, Regional Eye Center, Joplin, Missouri

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Hampton Roy Sr, MD  Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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