Ocular Inflammation and Choroidal Thickness after Pars Plana Vitrectomy in Chronic Recurrent Stage of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease.

Purpose: To evaluate subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) changes and ocular inflammation after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease.

Methods

We analyzed best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ocular inflammation, complications, and SCT in 17 eyes of 14 patients with VKH disease who underwent PPV and had ≥12-month follow-up. Main surgical indications included vitreous opacity, epiretinal membrane, and macular hole.

Results

Mean BCVA showed significant improvement at all time-points after PPV. Mean SCT significantly increased up until 3 months after PPV (P = .001), but returned to baseline at 12 months and was lower than baseline at the final visit (P = .025). Mean acute uveitis relapse rate decreased after PPV (P = .008). SCT increase was greater in the nine eyes with postoperative uveitis recurrence than in those without (P = .043).

Conclusion

Vision improved after PPV in patients with VKH disease. SCT increase in the early postoperative period was associated with uveitis recurrence during follow-up, suggesting that vitrectomy may induce choroiditis after PPV in VKH.