Blindness is an uncommon but devastating complication of tuberculosis meningitis. The main causes are chronically raised intracranial pressure (hydrocephalus and/or tuberculomas) or direct involvement of the optic chiasm or optic nerves by the basal arachnoiditis (inflammation and/or compression).Some patients develop blindness, mainly as a result of progressive optochiasmatic arachnoiditis. The major side effect of Ethambutol is retrobulbar optic neuritis of two types: axial and periaxial. The most common form is associated with macular degeneration, decreased visual acuity, and decreased colour perception.The recommended dose for adults, irrespective of the stage of treatment, is 15 mg/kg/day or 30 mg/kg three times a week.Early reports of ethambutol in adults found toxicity to be a dose related phenomenon. A single daily dose of between 60 and 100 mg/kg caused optical toxicity in eight (44%) of 18 patients. Hence, we present a case here with an atypical presentation of tuberculous meningitis with complete blindness secondary to Retrobulbar neuritis.
Key words: Retrobulbar neuritis, Tuberculous Meningitis.

Corresponding author: Dr. Tinu Nebhani, Junior resident, Department of Medicine , DY Patil Medical College , Navi Mumbai , Maharashtra, India.

This article may be cited as: Nebhani T, Ankleshwaria D, MadhusmitaM, Bhate A. An Atypical Presentation of Tuberculous Meningitis with complete blindness secondary to Retrobulbar neuritis. Int J Res Health Allied Sci 2018; 4(4):73-75.