Introduction: Syphilis was an important cause of ocular inflammation during the pre-antibiotic era. Nowadays, its prevalence has clearly diminished and, although there has been an arousal of its manifestations in the Central Nervous System, mostly among HIV (+) patients; ocular compromise, particularly optic neuritis, are still infrequent. Nevertheless, the consequences of a late medical treatment maintain the importance of considering this diagnosis as an option in many clinical scenarios. Method: Review of the actual literature from the experience of two cases we recently treated. Discussion: We present the physiopathology clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of syphilis, specifically its neurological and ocular manifestations in HIV and no HIV patients, discussing whether is necessary to actively search for syphilis in patients consulting with optic neuritis. Conclusion: As VDRL is an accessible exam for the differential diagnostic of syphilis in patients cursing with optic neuritis, we propose to practice it always in every patient, we suspect this pathology.
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