Pattern of uveitis in a referral uveitis clinic in India

Int Ophthalmol. 1996;20(4):223-8. doi: 10.1007/BF00175264.

Abstract

This report describes a retrospective study of all new patients in our uveitis clinic between January 1992 and December 1994, undertaken to identify the pattern of uveitis in the Indian subcontinent. A standard clinical protocol, and the naming-meshing system with tailored laboratory investigations were used to arrive at a final uveitic diagnosis. Uveitis comprised 1.5% of new cases seen at the centre. Out of 1,273 uveitis cases, anterior uveitis was the most common type (39.28%), followed by posterior uveitis (28.75%), intermediate uveitis (17.44%), and panuveitis (14.53%). The most commonly affected age group were patients in their forties (23.57%). Uveitis was less common in children below 10 years (3.61%) and in adults over 60 years of age (6.44%). Men (62.21%) were more commonly affected than women (37.79%). Aetiology remained undetermined in 59.31% of cases. Anterior uveitis was most commonly idiopathic (58.6%). The most common cause of posterior uveitis was toxoplasmosis (27.87%), and that of panuveitis was the Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome (21.08%). A higher incidence of microbiologically proven tubercular uveitis (5 cases), and uveitis due to live intraocular nematode (4 cases), and malaria (1 case), were seen, in contrast to other studies. Only 2 cases of AIDS with ocular lesions were seen. This paper reveals the pattern of uveitis seen at a major referral eye institute in India.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anterior Chamber / microbiology
  • Anterior Chamber / parasitology
  • Child
  • Ciliary Body / microbiology
  • Ciliary Body / parasitology
  • Eye Infections, Parasitic / complications
  • Eye Infections, Parasitic / diagnosis
  • Eye Infections, Parasitic / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • India / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Referral and Consultation*
  • Sex Factors
  • Tuberculosis, Ocular / complications
  • Tuberculosis, Ocular / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis, Ocular / epidemiology
  • Uveitis / diagnosis
  • Uveitis / epidemiology*
  • Uveitis / etiology
  • Vitreous Body / microbiology
  • Vitreous Body / parasitology