Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)

Ocular manifestations of HIV infection

Although the incidence of opportunistic ocular infections in HIV-infected patients has fallen substantially since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1996, the ocular manifestations of HIV infection are diverse and require specialised, intensive and often prolonged management.

Overall, ocular complications of HIV (Table 1) and its treatment occur in approximately 75 per cent of patients during the course of the disease. Several of these conditions receive specific attention elsewhere in this book. Importantly, ocular infections in HIV-infected individuals (particularly those with a low CD4+ lymphocyte count) are often atypical and progress rapidly.