Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is a vision-threatening disease and the most common eye infection due to CMV, which usually occurs in immunosuppressed individuals, most commonly in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It occurs due to the hematogenous spread and reactivation of latent CMV, eventually leading to retinal necrosis. In immunocompetent individuals who develop CMV retinitis, the disease usually presents as a viral prodrome with fever and myalgia. These cases warrant a comprehensive evaluation to rule out other causes of fever. We would like to discuss an unusual case of bilateral CMV retinitis in an immunocompetent patient with no comorbidities, whose only presenting complaint was bilateral diminution of vision.
Mathew et al. (2026) studied this question.