[Hypertony and uveitis: 103 cases of uveitis].

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of high intraocular pressure (HIOP) in 103 patients.

METHODS: One hundred and three consecutive patients referred to our department for uveitis were included. Files were retrospectively analyzed for age at time of presentation, gender, type of uveitis (as defined by International Uveitis Study Group) and etiology, time of HIOP (primary or secondary to treatment), and associated filtering surgical procedure. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured using Goldmann applanation tonometry and HIOP was defined as intraocular pressure 21 mm Hg or higher.

RESULTS: Among these patients, 36% of uveitis cases were related to a concomitant infectious disease (herpetic disease in 20% of cases and herpes zoster in 4%). No significant difference in age or gender was found between groups. At least one episode of HIOP was found during the acute phase of the disease in 27 patients (26.2%): anterior uveitis accounted for 74% of patients. Most hypertensive cases were associated with herpetic disease (37%), whereas steroid-induced HIOP was suspected in only two patients (7.4%). HIOP was controlled by topical hypotensive treatment in 74.1% of patients, and a filtering surgical procedure was found necessary in seven patients (25.9%).

CONCLUSION: This retrospective study confirms that HIOP is a major complication of uveitis, especially in those involving the anterior chamber of the eye and/or related to viruses. Most cases responded rapidly to combined topical steroids/antiglaucomatous therapy.