Purpose: To assess the prevalence of the ocular manifestations related to the disease and/or ascribable to the administration of potentially toxic drugs in a cohort of 98 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Methods: Retrospective, observational study reporting the experience of two tertiary referral centers.
Results: Overall, an ocular involvement was detected in 29 patients (29.6%), sometimes preceding of months the diagnosis of SLE, more often revealed at diagnosis or throughout its course. More than a single ocular manifestation was found in 20 of the 29 patients with ophthalmological findings (68.9%). The array of ocular morbidity included, in a decreasing order of frequency, cataracts, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, glaucoma, discoid lesions of eyelids, episcleritis, retinopathy, vortex keratopathy, choroidopathy and retinal detachment, central retinal vein occlusion, and hydroxychloroquine-induced toxic maculopathy.
Conclusions: It is advised that a multidisciplinary team for the diagnosis and treatment of SLE should regularly include the presence of an ophthalmologist.
Keywords: Cataracts; glucocorticoids; hydroxychloroquine; maculopathy; ocular manifestations; systemic lupus erythematosus.