Syphilitic optic neuritis in a patient with congenital vascular anomaly: a case report

A 42-year-old man with unusual ocular involvement complicating secondary syphilis is demonstrated. The patient was admitted to the dermatological department because of erythematous plaques on the hands and soles. Prior to admission these lesions were misdiagnosed as erythema multiforme and treated with systemic corticosteroids. Besides the skin lesions the patient complained of headache and blurred vision in the right eye. Unilateral optic neuritis was diagnosed. The ocular problem was eventually diagnosed as a manifestation of secondary syphilis. Interestingly, a congenital anomaly of the right anterior cerebral artery was also found using computed angiotomography.