Purpose: To describe the changes in ocular examination of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), especially those related to fundoscopy. Method: A descriptive study of 41 lupus patients selected at random from May to July 1999 at the Collagen Disease Outpatient Clinic of the Rheumatology Service of the University Hospital, Federal University of Paraná. A protocol of clinical and ophthalmologic evaluation was applied. Results: Forty-one patients were included in the study; 40 were females (97.56%) and one was a male (2.44%). Mean age was 32.22 years (range: 16 to 54 years). Thirty-seven patients (87.80%) were white, two (4.89%) were black, and three (7.32%) were mulattoes. Time since SLE diagnosis ranged from two months to 18 years. Nineteen of the 41 patients (46.34%) presented fundoscopic alterations related to SLE. The major lesions detected were cotton-wool spots and arteriolar narrowing (68.42%) followed by increased excavation (10.52%) and optic disk pallor (10.52%), perivascular damage (5.26%), and changes in the pigment epithelium of the retina (5.26%). Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of fundoscopic changes related to SLE, showing the importance of regular fundoscopic examinations even in asymptomatic lupus patients or in lupus patients with no associated diseases.
Systemic lupus erythematosus; Fundoscopy
