Retinopathy during interferon-β treatment for multiple sclerosis: case report and review of the literature

The onset of new visual symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis is often associated with a neuro-ophthalmologic manifestation of the disease. However, other possible differential diagnoses need to be ruled out, including drug-induced retinal side effects. Although uncommon, retinal side effects of interferon-beta formulations may occur, and need to be promptly recognized and treated by neurologists. In this manuscript, we report the case of a 37-year-old woman affected by multiple sclerosis diagnosed with interferon beta-associated retinopathy and we review the literature with regard to the epidemiology, clinical presentation, management and follow-up of interferon beta-associated retinopathy. Interferon-beta induced retinopathy seems to be an uncommon and a dose-related side effect in multiple sclerosis patients. Retinopathy tends to completely resolve after treatment discontinuation. Neurologists must be aware that immune-modulatory drugs, in particular interferon beta, have been reported to cause retinal side effects. In multiple sclerosis patients complaining of new visual symptoms during interferon-beta treatment, it is thus advisable to perform an ophthalmological assessment to rule out and properly manage retinopathy.