Macular involvement in patients with Behçet's uveitis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess macular involvement in patients with Behçet's uveitis.

METHODS

The study included 65 patients (120 eyes) with Behçet's uveitis. All patients underwent detailed ophthalmic examination, including dilated biomicroscopic fundus examination, fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 46 months (mean 20 months).

RESULTS

At initial examination, 29 eyes (24.1 %) had macular involvement including macular edema (16 eyes, 13.3 %), serous retinal detachment (SRD; five eyes, 4.1 %), active retinitis (three eyes, 2.5 %), macular hole (three eyes, 2.5 %), macular atrophy (two eyes, 1.6 %), macular ischemia (one eye, 0.8 %), epiretinal membrane (one eye, 0.8 %), branch retinal vein occlusion involving the macula (three eyes, 2.5 %), and branch retinal artery occlusion involving the macula (two eyes, 1.6 %). During follow-up, 22 eyes (18.3 %) developed macular complications including macular edema (ten eyes, 8.3 %), SRD (four eyes, 3.3 %), active retinitis (two eyes, 1.6 %), severe macular atrophy (two eyes, 1.6 %), macular ischemia (three eyes, 2.5 %), macular hole (one eye, 0.8 %), epiretinal membrane (two eyes, 1.6 %), and subretinal fibrosis (one eye, 0.8 %). Branch retinal vein occlusion involving the macula developed in two eyes (1.6 %). Final best corrected visual acuity in patients with macular involvement ranged from 20/400 to 20/25 (mean 20/80).

CONCLUSIONS

Macular edema and other vision-threatening macular complications are common in Behçet's uveitis. Macular damage is often irreversible, causing permanent visual impairment. Early and appropriate treatment of Behçet's uveitis is mandatory to reduce the risk of visual impairment due to macular involvement.