Ophthalmologists play a key role in the management of syphilis presenting with ocular involvement

AbstractPurpose To provide the key role of ophthalmologists in the management of syphilis presenting with ocular involvement, describe the increase of patients diagnosed with syphilis infection presenting ophthalmological involvement and their clinical features.Methods Retrospective, observational case series analysis: patients were selected retrospectively based on serological criteria: VDRL>1 and TPHA>80, with upper cut‐off limit TPHA<320 and VDRL<4 (cases with VDRL <4 were retained if TPHA> 1280). Among these patients, patients presenting ophthalmological involvement were analyzed further.Results Over the 10‐year period, among 126 patients diagnosed with syphilis, 22 patients with various ocular involvements were treated. The resurgence of syphilis has also been registered in ophthalmology. Among the specialized departments, ophthalmology ranks second in number of cases of syphilis infection diagnosed: 77% of patients with ocular involvement are diagnosed in ophthalmology.Conclusion This underlines the central diagnostic role of ophthalmologists, as in cases of eye involvement, if ophthalmologists ignore the infection, diagnosis will rarely be picked up in other care units, especially given that visual symptoms are isolated in 80% of cases.