Clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with uveitis starting later in life

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate uveitis cases presenting at older ages for the first time.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data related to the 90 eyes of 68 patients who presented with a first episode of uveitis at the age of >= 60 years and were seen at the Uveitis Division of the Ulucanlar Eye Hospital from 1996 to 2013.

Results: The location of the uveitis was anterior in 51 (75%) patients. Nine patients (13.2%) presented with panuveitis, 5 (7.3%) with posterior uveitis, and 3 (4.4%) patients with intermediate uveitis. Idiopathic uveitis in 23 (33.8%) and presumed herpetic anterior uveitis in 23 (33.8%) patients were the most common diagnoses, while other diagnostic entities accounted for 22 (32.3%) patients. The most common complications were elevation of intraocular pressure in 17.7%, cystoid macular edema (CME) in 11.1%, and corneal scar in 11.1% of eyes.

Conclusions: While idiopathic uveitis and presumed herpetic anterior uveitis were the most common causes, although in an endemic country, Behcet disease was not a common cause of uveitis in the elderly population.