Long-term Follow-up of Ischaemic Retinopathy in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome with Lupus-like Disease

Purpose: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), as an acquired prothrombotic disorder, is increasingly being recognised as an important cause of systemic venous and arterial thrombosis. The defining feature of the condition is the presence of raised levels of antibodies to negatively charged phospholipids in the serum.

Methods: We describe 2 cases of APS with ocular involvement and review the recent literature. Both patients experienced acute visual loss. It was the presenting symptom in one case--a finding that led to the diagnosis of the syndrome.

Results: Management with anticoagulation therapy, in which the International Normalised Ratio (INR) has been maintained at or above 3, resulted in reperfusion of the ischaemic retina and stabilisation of the retinopathy in one patient, whilst in the other case, where the INR was less than 3, irreversible visual loss occurred.

Conclusion: Anticoagulation with warfarin appears to result in reperfusion of ischaemic retina with stabilisation of the neovascular process when the INR is greater than 3.