Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease presenting as optic neuritis

Abstract

Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease is a granulomatous multisystem inflammatory disorder that classically affects the uvea, inner ear, meninges, and skin. We report three patients who presented with initial findings suggestive of bilateral optic neuritis requiring CSF analysis and brain images. None of these patients had extraocular changes. Fluorescein angiography of the retina led to the diagnosis of VKH disease in all patients. Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease should be included in differential diagnosis of bilateral optic neuritis, even when extraocular manifestations of the disease are absent. In such cases, fluorescein angiography will aid diagnosis.