Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is the most common ocular opportunistic infection affecting patients with AIDS, despite the fact that the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has reduced its incidence by 80%. Treatment with HAART has decreased the risk of retinitis progression, retinal detachment and visual loss in patients with CMV retinitis. HAART-induced immune recovery has been associated with an approximately 50% reduction in the risk of visual loss in eyes of patients with CMV retinitis. However, immune recovery uveitis, an ocular complication seen in the era of HAART, may increase the risk of visual loss. Furthermore, among patients with AIDS and without CMV retinitis followed in the era of HAART, the development of CMV retinitis over time has been reported to account for approximately 40% of incident vision loss and, thus, continues to be the leading cause of visual loss among patients with AIDS.
