Disciform detachment of the macula. III. Secondary to inflammatory diseases.

The association of inflammatory diseases with disciform macular detachment is described in three patients. The first patient with seropositive syphilis developed juxtapapillary choroiditis, disciform detachment of the left macula progressing to a wide-spread area with atrophy of the choriocapillaris and pigment epithelium, corpuscular aggregations of retinal pigment, and white fibrous tissue between the choroid and retina. The second patient with fever, anorexia, fatigue, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and pulmonary changes developed choroiditis with disciform detachment of the left macula, one month later choroiditis with disciform detachment of the pigment epithelium in the right fundus, and two months later serofibrinous pleurisy which improved with tuberculostatic therapy suggesting tuberculous aetiology. The third patient, with puerperal sepsis in her past medical history, had peripapillary atrophic scars in both eyes with choroidal neovascularization and disciform detachment of the macula in the left eye.