BACKGROUNDSympathetic ophthalmia (SO), a rare, bilateral, diffuse granulomatous uveitis, usually occurs after open globe injury or intraocular surgery. We sought to identify the risk factors for the development of SO after open globe injury and describe their demographic and clinical features and outcomes of treatments.

METHODSA retrospective study of inpatients with globe injury in 15 tertiary referral hospitals of China from January 2001 to December 2005 was conducted. The information of demography, nature and mechanism of injury, time and ways of treatments and outcomes was reviewed. Diagnosis of SO was made based on a history of ocular trauma or surgery and subsequent development of bilateral or contralateral uveitis consistent with SO. Any association between related parameters and development of SO was analyzed.

RESULTSAmong 9103 patients (9776 eyes) of globe injury, SO occurred after open globe injury in 18 cases with an occurrence rate of 0.37%, vitrectomy of closed globe injury in 2 (0.37%) and perforation of burned eyes in another 2. For open globe injury, the median age ((36.72 +/- 13.59) years, P = 0.01) was higher in patients with SO; there were no significant effects of sexes, injury type, uvea proplaps, once or multi-intraocular surgery, once or multi-vitrectomy and endophthalmitis on incidence of SO; 0.70% endophthalmitis concurred with SO; 83.33% of SO occurred within 1 year after injury or last ocular surgery. SO developed in a fellow eye one week after evisceration of the perforating burned eye. Good final visual acuity was obtained in sympathizing eyes with prompt treatment.

CONCLUSIONSFor open globe injuries, SO sufferers were relatively older and any injury type could induce SO with equal possibility. The initial open globe injury was more likely to be the trigger of SO than subsequent intraocular surgeries including vitrectomy. Prophylactic enucleation after injury is not recommended.