Purpose: To characterize the clinical features of ocular toxocariasis and to describe the unique aspects of the disease in Japan.
Methods: Thirty-six cases diagnosed as ocular toxocariasis at the uveitis clinic of Tokyo Medical University Hospital were analyzed retrospectively.
Results: Thirty-six cases comprised 34 adults (average age: 39 +/- 10 years) and two nine-year-old boys. All cases were classified into two clinical types: posterior pole type (13 cases) and peripheral type (23 cases). Visual acuity was maintained over 20/20 in 50% and less than 20/200 in 14% of the cases. The peripheral type had worse outcomes than the posterior pole type in all of the endpoints examined: final visual outcome, frequency of ocular complications, and effectiveness of vitreous surgery. Antibody titers in intraocular fluids led to a diagnosis of ocular toxocariasis in eight seronegative cases of 33 cases examined for antibodies in both serum and intraocular fluid samples.
Conclusions: The peripheral type had a worse prognosis than the posterior pole type. However, in general, ocular toxocariasis resulted in fair visual outcomes. The antibody titer in intraocular fluid was helpful in the diagnosis.