ABSTRACT

Objectives:

To analyze the clinical characteristics and findings in patients with intermediate uveitis.

Materials and Methods:

The records of the 35 patients diagnosed as intermediate uveitis in our clinic between years 1996 and 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, slit lamp examination, dilated fundus examination, fundus fluorescein angiography, and systemic examination results of the patients were noted.

Results:

The mean follow-up time was 6.2 years (2-16 years). The mean age at diagnosis of intermediate uveitis was 32.4 years (8-68 years). 17.1% of patients were under 18 years old. 65.7% of patients were women, 34.2% were men, and both eyes were affected in 54.3% of patients. The most frequent findings were vitritis (100%), snowball opacities (97.1%), retinal vasculitis (65.7%), and snowbanking (45.7%). Concurrent iridocyclitis was determined in 71.4% of patients. Systemic association was found in 40.1% of patients, with disease being multiple sclerosis (22.9%), sarcoidosis (11.4%), tuberculosis (2.9%), or Lyme disease (2.9%). The most common complication that developed during the follow-up period included secondary glaucoma (22.9%), cataract formation (17.1%), and cystoid macular edema (17.1%). The visual acuity of 3 patients was less than 0.5 due to the optic atrophy, macular hole, and cystoid macular edema sequel, respectively. The mean final visual acuity of the remaining patients was 0.9±0.2.

Conclusion:

When the inflammation and complications are treated effectively in intermediate uveitis, the visual prognosis is fairly good. Detailed clinical evaluation of such cases may reveal systemic diseases at the initial examinations or follow-up visits.