Table 1.

Types of lupus retinopathy, ophthalmic findings, and pathophysiology.

Vascular retinopathy	Pathophysiology	Ophthalmic findings	Comments
Microangiopathy	Attributed to hypertension secondary to renal involvement	Cotton wool spots, micro-aneurysms, dot hemorrhages, and hard exudates	– Mild form of lupus retinopathy – Good prognosis
Retinal vasculitis	Thromboses of the retinal arterioles due to deposition of immune complexes and inflammation	Vascular sheathing, vaso-occlusion (end-point of vasculitis), cotton wool spots, micro-aneurysms, dot hemorrhages, and hard exudates	– Severe form of lupus retinopathy – Can result in blindness
Vaso-occlusion	Thromboses of the retinal arterioles due to deposition of immune complexes and inflammation	Central retinal artery or vein occlusion, neovascularization, retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage	– Most severe form of lupus retinopathy – Results in blindness