Full formMedical & Health
VKHstands forVogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome
Full Form of VKH
What is VKH?
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome, commonly abbreviated as VKH, is a rare autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks melanocyte-containing tissues, leading to widespread inflammation. The condition primarily targets the eyes, skin, ears, and central nervous system, producing symptoms such as bilateral granulomatous panuveitis, vitiligo, poliosis, alopecia, tinnitus, and meningeal irritation. VKH is often triggered following a viral illness or stressful event and is more commonly seen in individuals with darker skin pigmentation, making it clinically significant in India. Patients across the country are typically diagnosed and managed at tertiary ophthalmology centres in cities like Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, where specialists initiate high-dose corticosteroid therapy to prevent permanent vision loss. The Indian Journal of Ophthalmology has published several studies highlighting the disease patterns in Indian patients. VKH holds strong relevance in postgraduate medical entrance examinations such as NEET PG, INI-CET, and AIIMS, where it is frequently tested under ophthalmology and autoimmune disease categories.
VKH का फुल फॉर्म
वोग्ट-कोयानागी-हाराडा सिंड्रोम
Example
After the patient presented with sudden bilateral vision loss, headache, and whitening of eyelashes, the ophthalmologist at AIIMS suspected VKH syndrome and ordered a fluorescein angiography to confirm the diagnosis.
VKH — frequently asked questions
What is the full form of VKH?
VKH stands for Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder affecting melanocyte-containing tissues in the body.
What are the main symptoms of VKH syndrome?
VKH causes bilateral eye inflammation, hearing problems, whitening of skin patches, greying of hair, and sometimes meningeal symptoms like headache and neck stiffness.
Is VKH syndrome treatable in India?
Yes, VKH is treatable in India through early and aggressive corticosteroid therapy, which is available at major eye hospitals and tertiary care centres across the country.