A review on Ocular Tuberculosis: Epidemiology, Clinical Features and Treatment

Background: globalization and migration movements are intimately linked to the expansion of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis has also been the primary cause of death in patients with HIV infection and the leading cause of death related to antibiotic resistance. Tuberculosis may affect any part of the uveal tract. T cell activity is of significance in Tuberculous infection. The phagocytosis of bazillion by macrophage is a significant factor in limiting the spread of infection. However, in patients who have had a previous tuberculous infection, the cell-mediated response is also associated with tissue damage due to the direct effect of sensitized T lymphocytes on the cell containing the ingested bacilli. Ocular tuberculosis is extrapulmonary tuberculosis with a wide range of symptoms. Tuberculosis is considered to infect the lungs of the patients in 80% of cases, and 20% of cases affect other organs like the eye. Ocular tuberculosis is an infectious disease with bacterial etiology that has a chronic case with a poor prognosis. Even the most effective treatment can cause vision loss, and clinical recovery is not always permanent. Ocular tuberculosis frequently results in permanent impairment, lowering patients' quality of life.

Objective: This article reports the various known presentations of ocular TB and reviews essential epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment elements.

Methodology: The present study is a systematic review of literature searched from electronic databases and highly reputed websites like PubMed, researchgate, Elsevier, etc. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and the trial registry in the English language.

Conclusion: Ocular tuberculosis (OTB) diagnosis and treatment are difficult to come by. The disease's current uncertainty is due to mixed ocular tissue involvement, a lack of consensus on best practice diagnostic tests, and global variations in medical management. The present evaluation intends to provide an update on OTB's recent progress.