Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome

Abstract

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disease characterized by bilateral diffuse granulomatous panuveitis with exudative retinal detachment and papillitis. It involves the central nervous system (meninges, sensorineural dysacusis) as well as skin and mucous membranes. In spite of being a complex and infrequent disease, it is necessary to understand the importance of rapid diagnosis and timely treatment with specialized follow-up. For this reason, it was decided to carry out a review of the literature with the aim of updating the existing knowledge on this subject. The search was carried out in different publications and basic texts of the specialty. The sources consulted were the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The diagnosis of the disease is essentially clinical and it is the ophthalmologists who suspect it the most because the ocular symptoms are the most frequent and dramatic. The visual prognosis of patients is generally good if the diagnosis is early and adequate treatment is indicated. Systemic corticosteroids at high doses associated with immunosuppressants and biological agents have a great impact on the evolution of the disease, especially the latter worldwide, preventing complications and allowing satisfactory visual results for a better quality of life of the patient.