The Correlation of Clinical Findings and Macular Changes Detected by Optical Coherence Tomography in Patients with Uveitis

Abstract

Pur po se: To evaluate the optical coherence tomography (OCT) changes in uveitis patients with macular involvement and to investigate the correlation between clinical activation and tomographic features. Ma te ri al and Met hod: Patients who have been followed for uveitis in Uvea-Behçet department were enrolled in the study. Patients having any kind of media opacity (cataract, condensation of vitreous, corneal opacity) were excluded. Main outcome measures were visual acuity, macular thickness, and the integrity of the photoreceptor inner and outer segment junction during active and inactive period of the disease. Re sults: Twenty-six eyes of 19 (7 females, 12 males) patients were included. The patients were classified as having anterior uveitis (2 patients), posterior uveitis (10 patients) and panuveitis (7 patients). The mean macular thickness was 335.38±113.88 μm in active stage and 235.96±48.38 μm in remission phase. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.025). The integrity of photoreceptor inner and outer segment junction was disturbed in 65% of patients with active disease, while in 30.8%, the integrity of this layer was regained during remission. Dis cus si on: OCT provides clinically important information about the changes induced by acute inflammatory episodes. These findings were observed to correlate with clinical features. OCT is a non-invasive technique which may be used for follow-up and for evaluation of the response to treatment of patients with uveitis. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2011; 41: 396-400)

Keywords

• Optical coherence tomography
• uveitis
• macular thickness