The disease is contagious while this ulceration is present. The disease then goes through different stages, and can involve many different parts of the body, including the brain and eyes. Laboratory testing can confirm the active and inactive stages of the disease. This can lead to scarring of the cornea and visual loss. Iritis Syphillis may be a relatively common cause of intraocular inflammation, or iritis.
Symptoms can include eye redness, pain, sensitivity to light, and floaters.
Treatment is with ocular steroids, and by treating the underlying syphillis if it has not been treated. The optic nerve can also be affected, leading to inflammation or degeneration of the nerve. The main symptoms could be a loss of vision and blind spots in the peripheral vision. Treatment is by intravenous penicillin for at least 10 days. Other ocular structures Syphillis can involve nearly every part of the eye, including the retina, the gland that produces tears, and the muscles that control eye movement.