Optic disc vasculitis in epidemic dropsy.

During an outbreak of epidemic dropsy in Delhi, 233 patients were studied. Retinal changes including venous dilatation and tortuosity, haemorrhages and disc oedema were observed. A clinical picture compatible with type I optic disc vasculitis was seen in 13 eyes and that of type II in 3 eyes. Fluorescein angiography was carried out in 23 randomly selected cases. Relevant angiographic findings included dilated and tortuous retinal veins, prominent vascular staining, blocked fluorescence, microaneurysms, disc oedema and peripapillary dye spillage. Presence of positive angiographic findings correlated well with the severity of the systemic disease, glaucoma, however, revealed no correlation. Papillophlebitis, a new ocular manifestation of Argemone mexicana oil toxicity, as also the fluorescein angiographic picture in epidemic dropsy is being reported for the first time in the literature.