Uveitis and pseudouveitis presenting for the first time in Japanese elderly patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of uveitis or pseudouveitis presenting de novo in Japanese elderly patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively examined 296 patients with uveitis or pseudouveitis who were treated at Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital. Patients were followed up for 1 week to 5 years (mean, 11 months).

RESULTS

Of 296 patients, 82 (38 men and 44 women, 120 eyes) presented with their first episode of uveitis or pseudouveitis at the age of > or = 60 years. Forty patients had anterior uveitis, 2 had intermediate uveitis and the other 40 had posterior and/or pan-uveitis. Of 82 patients, 53 (64.6%) had idiopathic uveitis. The prevalence of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome and Behçet disease in elderly patients was lower than that in younger patients. Complicated cataract was frequently seen in the eyes with uveitis. Most eyes with uveitis had poor visual acuity.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome and Behçet disease in elderly patients was lower than that in younger patients.