An Eye for an Eye, An Ear for an Ear: A Midwestern Case Report of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease.

Introduction: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is an autoimmune condition affecting both ocular and extraocular systems. This case highlights the need for research into the epidemiology and pathophysiology of VKH.

Case presentation: A 23-year-old cisgender Hispanic female presented to our tertiary care center with severe headache, eye pain, vision changes, photophobia, hearing loss with tinnitus, phonophobia, nausea, vomiting, and vertigo. She was diagnosed with VKH disease.

Discussion: This report shares a case of VKH disease in the Midwestern United States. A 2023 Northwestern University study highlights the orphan nature of the disease; even with a small sample size, that study proved to be a larger cohort in studies of VKH.

Conclusions: This report contributes to the growing literature documenting VKH disease. Especially in diagnoses associated with certain racial groups, a broad differential diagnosis is essential, as delay in diagnosis may result in irreversible sequelae. Prompt coordination with colleagues may reduce subsequent morbidity and mortality.