Optic nerve head neovascularization in a patient with inactive cytomegalovirus retinitis and immune recovery

PURPOSE: To report a case of optic nerve head neovascularization in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) associated with inactive cytomegalovirus retinitis and immune recovery. METHOD: Case report. RESULTS: We examined a 29-year-old man with AIDS and inactive cytomegalovirus retinitis and found vitritis and prominent optic nerve head neovascularization, The patient had been treated with reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors, resulting in a notable rise in CD4(+) lymphocyte count and an undetectable human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-RNA viral load. No cause of neovascularization other than intraocular inflammation was detected. CONCLUSION: Immune recovery in a setting of inactive cytomegalovirus retinitis can result in optic nerve head neovascularization, as seen in our patient. (Am J Ophthalmol 1998;126:318-320. (C) 1998 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.).