Introduction: Ocular manifestations in patients with syphilis may involve almost any of the structures of the eye.
Objectives: To describe ten new cases of syphilis with eye involvement and to briefly discuss the management and therapy of such condition.
Material and methods: Ten cases were retrospectively studied over 13 years. Demographic factors, ophthalmologic examination, and laboratory tests were assessed.
Results: Seven of the 10 cases were male and 3 were female. The mean age of patients was 39,7 years. Disease presentation included: panuveitis (6 patients), optic neuritis (3), retinal vasculitis (1) and Argyll-Robertson pupil (1). Cerebrospinal fluid VDRL test was positive in 6 patients and 3 patients were HIV (+).
Conclusions: Syphilis is able to display diverse ophthalmologic manifestations. Not in all the cases the CSF-VDRL test was positive. Antitreponemal therapy generates a fast and effective response in the affected patients.