A 52-year-old man developed transient, migratory polyarthralgias in the presence of hearing loss. He then developed persistent leukocytosis and thrombocytosis. His initial transient, bilateral visual obscurations happened in context with bilateral disk edema and an enlarged blind spot. Visual symptoms progressed to vision loss and multiple branch retinal artery occlusions. It was not until later in the disease progression that gastrointestinal symptoms occurred. Electron microscopy of duodenal biopsies confirmed a diagnosis of Whipple disease.
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
2Department of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
3Department of Rheumatology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
4Neuro-ophthalmology Unit, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Reprint address: Michael S. Lee, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, 420 Delaware Street S.E., MMC 493, Minneapolis, MN 55455.
The authors reported no proprietary or commercial interest in any product mentioned or concept discussed in this article. This article was supported by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, New York, NY, and the Lions Club of Minnesota.
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