Ocular manifestations of the potentially lethal rheumatologic and vasculitic disorders.

Vision threatening ocular inflammation may occur in patients with any of the acquired connective tissue disorders and vasculitic diseases. Additionally, the ocular inflammation may be the presenting manifestation of the disease, which leads the patient to seek medical care. Other manifestations of the potentially lethal disease may be subtle or absent, presenting the thoughtful ophthalmologist with the opportunity to make life saving discoveries. Necrotizing scleritis, peripheral ulcerative keratitis, and retinal vasculitis are the ocular findings which should prompt the ophthalmologist to initiate very aggressive measures aimed at discovering any evidence of extra-ocular abnormalities, laboratory or otherwise. Appropriate therapy will be sight saving and may be life saving.