Visual Morbidity and Ocular Complications in Presumed Intraocular Tuberculosis: An Analysis of 354 Cases from a Non-Endemic Population.

PURPOSE: To describe the visual morbidity associated with intraocular tuberculosis (TB) and to report ocular complications of intraocular TB.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with intraocular TB at a tertiary referral eye care hospital in central London. Data on baseline and final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) along with ocular complications were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

In total, 354 patients with intraocular TB were included in this study. Mean age was 48.45 years (range 19-94) and follow-up was 22.56 ± 7.44 (range 6-30) months post cessation of therapy. Blindness as defined by the World Health Organization was reported in 11 (3.11%) patients at baseline and 13 (3.67%) patients at follow-up. The most common ocular complications were cystoid macular edema (n = 107, 30.5%) and glaucoma (n = 99, 28.12%).

CONCLUSION

Intraocular TB can be associated with significant ocular morbidity. Early recognition, treatment, and regular follow-up of this complex disease may help to reduce visual morbidity and ocular complications.