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Interferon-based therapy is currently the standard treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and likely will be for the near future. Retinopathy has been associated with interferon therapy, but few studies have described its frequency or clinical significance.
In this prospective, longitudinal study, the occurrence of retinopathy was evaluated in 97 consecutive patients at a single center who received treatment for HCV infection with interferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks. All patients underwent extensive ophthalmologic examinations at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 3 months posttreatment. Retinopathy was defined as the presence of cotton wool spots, retinal hemorrhages, or microaneurysms.
During therapy, retinopathy occurred in 31% o…