CMV Retinitis

What is it?
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a member of the herpes simplex virus family. Mild CMV infections are common in otherwise healthy people but severe CMV disease is not. Your immune system usually keeps them from triggering an active disease. In someone with a weak immune system, it can cause CMV retinitis, an infection of the eye that can lead to blindness. If left untreated, CMV can spread throughout the body, infecting other organs to create a wide range of symptoms that can lead to serious illness, even blindness. Effective treatments for CMV diseases are now available if the infection is detected early.

CMV retinitis can also cause the retina to become weak, thin – and more susceptible to developing holes. This, in turn, can lead to detachment of the retina.