Desferrioxamine-related ocular toxicity: A case report

• Main Authors: Sumu Simon, Paul A Athanasiov, Rajeev Jain, Grant Raymond, Jagjit S Gilhotra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2012-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Ophthalmology
• Subjects: Apoptosis; glaucoma; intraocular pressure; retinal ganglion cells; retinal ischemia; tumor necrosis factor-alpha; Branch retinal vein occlusion; laser; Lucentis; macular edema; Microbial etiology; mucopurulent keratitis; suppurative keratitis; Intraoperative application of mitomycin C; mitomycin C; postoperative complications; preoperative subconjunctival injection; recurrence rate; recurrent pterygium; Cataract; inflammation; mydriasis; prevention and control; surgery; Cross-cylinder technique; photoastigmatic refractive keratectomy; refractive surgery; ′BARC I-125 Ocu-Prosta seeds′; choroidal melanoma; plaque brachytherapy; retinoblastoma; vasoproliferative tumors; Asian Indian; Amaurosis; amaurosis hemianopia; capsulolenticular cataract; conjunctiva; lenticular cataract; leukoma; eye lid; ophthalmia chronica; ophthalmic purulentis; Interpretation; magnetic resonance imaging; orbit; ophthalmology; Antivascular endothelial growth factor; intravitreal bevacizumab; ocular inflammation; Acute macular neuroretinopathy; optical coherence tomography; scotoma; Desferrioxamine; ocular toxicity; optic neuropathy; pigmentary retinopathy
• Online Access: http://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2012;volume=60;issue=4;spage=315;epage=317;aulast=Simon
• ISSN: 0301-4738; 1998-3689

A 29-year-old lady receiving repeated blood transfusions for β thalassemia since childhood, presented with rapidly deteriorating symptoms of night blindness and peripheral visual field loss. She was recently commenced on high-dose intravenous desferrioxamine for reducing the systemic iron overload. Clinical and investigative findings were consistent with desferrioxamine-related pigmentary retinopathy and optic neuropathy. Recovery was partial following cessation of desferrioxamine. This report highlights the ocular side-effects of desferrioxamine mesylate and the need to be vigilant in patients on high doses of desferrioxamine.