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Aims/Purpose: To describe the pattern of acute retinal necrosis (ARN) in a referral centre in Tunisia, North Africa. Methods: The charts of 22 patients diagnosed with ARN from January 2006 to January 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The mean age at presentation was 39.2 (range, 12–70) years, sex ratio was 1.75. The mean diagnostic delay was 17.9 days (range 1–60). The mean visual acuity at presentation was 20/400. All patients presented with a mild to moderate anterior uveitis (100%) with granulomatous keratic precipitates in 18 eyes (81%) and ocular hypertension in 4 eyes (18%). Necrotizing retinitis involved >50% of the retina in 36.5%of eyes. Polymerase chain reaction on aqueous humour sample identified varicella zoster virus in 10 eyes (45%), herpes simplex virus‐1 in 4 eyes (18%) and was negative in 8 eyes (22%). All patients received intravenous acyclovir, followed by oral antivirals. Intravitreal injections of ganciclovir were administered in 12 eyes (54.5%). Follow‐up ranged from 1 month to 48 months. The mean final visual acuity was 20/200. Complications included retinal detachment (RD) (31.8%), macular oedema (18%), macular atrophy (22%), epimacular membrane (22%), cataract (27%), optic nerve atrophy (18%) and central retinal artery occlusion (4%). No patient developed bilateral ARN. Prophylactic laser was performed in 7 eyes (32%). RD was treated with pars plana vitrectomy and silicone oil injection in 7 eyes. Conclusions: ARN syndrome in Tunisia is most commonly caused by VZV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe the pattern of acute retinal necrosis (ARN) syndrome in a referral center in Tunisia.Methods: Retrospective review of the charts of 12 patients (12 eyes).Results: Necrotizing retinitis involved >50% of the retina in 33.3% of eyes. Polymerase chain reaction on aqueous humor sample identified herpes simplex virus-1 in 4 eyes (33.3%) and varicella zoster virus in 3 eyes (25%), and was negative in 5 eyes (41.7%). All patients received intravenous acyclovir, followed by oral antivirals. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 16 months. Retinal detachment (RD) occurred in 3 eyes (25%), but no patient developed bilateral ARN. Final visual acuity was 20/200 or worse in 7 eyes (58.3%). Delay in diagnosis (p = 0.015), macular involvement (p = 0.045), development of RD (p = 0.018), and 25-50% of retinal involvement (p = 0.045) were associated with a worse visual outcome.Conclusion: ARN carries poor visual prognosis in Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]