The chronic cyclitis was first described under the designation of cyclitis by Ernst Fuchs in 1892, having been described as peripheral uveitis and pars planitis. The etiopathogenic nature of chronic cyclitis has been in controversy but the role of allergy is suggested in this disease entity, The inflammatory process starts at ciliary body and peripheral chorioretina, extends to anterior chamber and vitreous. It is incidious, bilateral and recurrent, affects young individuals. This condition begins with minimal symptoms of hazy vision and vitreous opacity, may result in serious visual disturbances due to various complications including cataract, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, glaucoma and phthisis bulbi. A 50 year old man was found to have chronic cyclitis in his left eye that was treated with antituberculous agents and sub-Tenon's injection of corticosteroid agent.
Anterior Chamber ; Cataract ; Ciliary Body ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Macular Degeneration ; Middle Aged ; Pars Planitis ; Retinal Detachment ; Uveitis* ; Uveitis, Intermediate*

We performed standard pars plana vitrectomies in 17 eyes with uveitis which were complicated with vitreous opacities. Postoperatively, visual acuity was improved in 11 eyes(64.7%),maintained in4 eyes(23.5%) and decreased in 2 eyes (11.8%). Four weeks after vitrectomy, inflammatory cells were rarely noticed in the anterior vitreous of all eyes. We suggest that early surgical approach is of value for visual improvement in the management of uvitis eyes with vitreous opacity.
Uveitis ; Uveitis, Intermediate* ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of the intermediate uveitis with prominent snowbank, METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of the patients with intermediate uveitis characterized by the snowbank larger than half a quadrant. RESULTS: Of all 49 patients, 67 eyes, the mean age was 37.3 years. Male patients was 31, and eighteen patients (36.7%) were bilateral. Snowbank was at the inferior in 56 eyes (83.6%), and larger than two quadrant in 16 eyes (23.9%). Mean follow-up was 27 months. Final visual acuity improved in 40 eyes (59.7%), worsened in 4 eyes (6.0%), and more than 0.5 in 51 eyes (76.1%). Complications were cystoid macular edema (23 eyes, 34.3%), retinal detachment (22 eyes, 32.8%), and vitreous hemorrhage (11 eyes, 16.4%). Procedures were barrier laser photocoagulation (45 eyes, 67.2%), pars plana vitrectomy(12 eyes, 17.9%), scleral buckling(2 eyes, 3.0%), cataract surgery (9 eyes, 13.4%), trabeculectomy(6 eyes, 9.6%), and cryopexy (1 eye, 1.5%). Statistically, there was no significant relationship in the final visual acuity and gender, bilaterality, initial visual acuity of 0.5 or above, snowbank larger than two quadrants, and barrier laser photocoagulation. However, pars plana vitrectomy showed a significant relationship (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Intermediate uveitis with prominent snowbank seems to show the similar clinical prognosis to generally-reported intermediate uveitis, and the prognosis of pars plana vitrectomy is good.
Cataract ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Macular Edema ; Male ; Pars Planitis* ; Prognosis ; Retinal Detachment ; Retrospective Studies ; Uveitis, Intermediate ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy ; Vitreous Hemorrhage

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and treatment of intermediate uveitis under new diagnostic standards. METHODS: Medical records of patients diagnosed with pars planitis or intermediate uveitis were followed for more than 6 months, and retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 90 patients and 117 eyes were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 40.1 years, and the mean follow-up period was 43.0 months. Thirty percent of cases were bilateral. The most common initial symptom was decreased visual acuity. Snowbank was detected in 39.3%, snowballs in 15.4%, vitritis in 96.6%, and vasculitis in 56.4%. Common complications includedcystoid macular edema (57.3%), cataracts (43.6%), and epiretinal membrane (36.8%). Therapies included topical steroids (82.9% of cases), posterior sub-Tenon steroid injection (45.3% of cases), systemic steroid administration (67.8% of cases), and immunosuppressants (28.7% of cases). Vitrectomy was performed in 11.1% of patients due to complications such as epiretinal membrane and traction retinal detachment. The mean initial and final visual acuities were 0.67 and 0.74, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The patients in this study experienced various courses of symptoms that required different treatment plans. Future investigations may corroborate these results.
Cataract ; Epiretinal Membrane ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Macular Edema ; Medical Records ; Pars Planitis ; Retinal Detachment ; Retrospective Studies ; Steroids ; Traction ; Uveitis, Intermediate ; Vasculitis ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy

Since Ernst Fuchs had described the chronic cyclitis as cyclitis in 1892, there have been many reports about the chronic cyclitis with the development of the binocular indirect ophthalmoscope and the Schepens' scleral depressor and gonioscope. The chronic cyclitis comes incidious onset with minimal symptoms of hazy vision and vitreous opacity. The authors experienced a case of chronic cyclitis of the left eye of 33 year old male patient who has been treated with systemic corticosteroid and antihistamines. Here, we briefly report it referring the literature about the chronic cyclitis.
Adult ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans ; Male ; Ophthalmoscopes ; Telescopes ; Uveitis, Intermediate*

PURPOSE: Despite ocular immune privilege, noninfectious chronic uveitis is relatively common. To investigate spontaneous turning on and off of noninfectious chronic uveitis, we examined the nature and apoptosis of infiltrating inflammatory cells from the anterior chamber of patients with chronic uveitis. METHODS: Aqueous humors were obtained with consent from patients with chronic recurrent uveitis at the time of active intraocular inflammation. Apoptosis of the infiltrating cells in aqueous humor was analyzed by flow cytometry, using fluorescence-labeled anti-CD95 antibody, anti-CD95L antibody, and Annexin V. RESULTS: Of total 35 patients recruited, 19 patients had anterior uveitis, 4 patients had intermediate uveitis, and 12 patients had panuveitis. The proportions of Fas+cell and FasL+ cell were over 90% independent of clinical characteristics of uveitis. Annexin V+ cells occupied 31.3% of all cells in aqueous humor. CONCLUSION: The high proportions of CD95+ cell, CD95L+ cell, Annexin+ cell suggest that there is an active apoptosis of inflammatory cells in anterior chamber of noninfectious chronic uveitis.
Annexin A5 ; Anterior Chamber* ; Apoptosis ; Aqueous Humor ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Panuveitis ; Uveitis* ; Uveitis, Anterior ; Uveitis, Intermediate

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease which frequently involves eyes and adnexal tissues. Its prevalence of ocular involvement is reported as about 20%, although it varies widely according to authors, from 12% to 73%. Ocular sarcoidosis is present as various forms - uveitis, conjunctival involvement, optic nerve involvement, and orbital involvement. All the forms of uveitis - anterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis, posterior uveitis and panuveitis - can be shown in sarcoidosis. Because clinical manifestation, prognosis and treatment are determined by the location of uveitis, it is important to classify uveitis. Conjunctival involvement is not a sight-threatening condition in general, its diagnostic value may be of use. Optic nerve is the most commonly involved cranial nerve, which can impair vision. Subjects with visual impairment without any evidence of uveitis, optic nerve involvement should be suspected. Orbital involvement, especially lacrimal gland involvement is common, and it may cause mass-effect. Besides systemic administration of drugs, there are several localized treatments for ocular sarcoidosis - topical eye drops, intra/peri-ocular injection of agents.
Cranial Nerves ; Granuloma ; Lacrimal Apparatus ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Optic Nerve ; Orbit ; Panuveitis ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Sarcoidosis* ; Uveitis ; Uveitis, Anterior ; Uveitis, Intermediate ; Uveitis, Posterior ; Vision Disorders

In order to investigate the efficiency of various laboratory studies of uveitis, we performed a series of studies including complete boold count, immunologic tests and radiolgic examination for 70 patients with uveitis and same number of controls who had visited at St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College from October 1992 to May 1993. The series of uveitis consists of 24 patients(34.3%) of anterior uveitis, 20 patients(28.6%) of posterior uneitis and 17 patients(24.3%) of intermediate uveitis. Only 7 cases presented positive results for the specific laboratory studies. Two patients of uveitis were positive for cytomegalovirus IgM, one for toxoplasma IgG and one for VDRL. One patient showed evidence of sacroilitis on sacroiliac joint X-ray. Skin test for Clonorchis sinensis was positive in one patient of uveitis. One case in the control group was positive for toxoplasma IgG. From the above results, we suggest that the selective laboratory studies should be carried out on the basis of the patient's histories and ocular findings for the more specific and etiological diagnosis of uveitis.
Clonorchis sinensis ; Cytomegalovirus ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunologic Tests ; Sacroiliac Joint ; Skin Tests ; Toxoplasma ; Uveitis* ; Uveitis, Anterior ; Uveitis, Intermediate

In order to evaluate association of particular HLA typing with certain uveitis in Korean population, HLA antigens were analyzed in 114 uneitis patients(acute anterior uveitis: 32 cases, Behcet`s disease: 25 cases, intermediate uveitis: 19 cases, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (V-K-H) syndrome: 10 cases, retinal vasculitis: 12 cases, Eale`s disease: 3 cases, posterior uveitis: 9 cases, pan.uveitis: 4 cases). The stronger association between acute anterior uveitis and HLA-B27 was statistically significant, and this result was similar to reports in other ethnic groups. Also, the association between V-K-H syndrome and HLA-DR4 showed same results. But the high frequency of HLA-DR7 in the patients with V-K-H syndrome was unque in patients of Korean popjlation and statistically significant. The association between HLA-A2 and posterior uveitis was high in patients of Korean population and statistically significant. Behcet`s disease was stronger association with HLA-B51 but not statistically significant and much weaker association than reports in Japanese group. Although many similarities of associations between particular uveitis and HLA typing were detected as compared with other ethnic groups, distinctive HLA associations were demonstrated in Korean population. Additional cases and long-term follow-up are required to confirm the association with HLA typing and the relationship with prognosis including clinical and laboratory variabilities.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Ethnic Groups ; Follow-Up Studies ; Histocompatibility Testing ; HLA Antigens ; HLA-A2 Antigen ; HLA-B27 Antigen ; HLA-B51 Antigen ; HLA-DR4 Antigen ; HLA-DR7 Antigen ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Retinal Vasculitis ; Uveitis* ; Uveitis, Anterior ; Uveitis, Intermediate ; Uveitis, Posterior

Nd-YAG laser is known as a safe and effective treatment for posterior capsular opacity after cataract surgery. We studied the ocular complications after Nd-YAG laser treatment in uveitis patients. From January 1991 to December 1996, we retrospectively investigated the complications of uveitis in 22 persons(25 eyes) after Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy, and also investigated that of nonuveitis in 563 persons(635 eyes) as a control group. The uveitis cases consisted of six anterior uveitis, eight intermediate uveitis, seven Behcet`s syndromes, three panuveitis, and one posterior uveitis. In the uveitis group, the complications(18 eyes) consisted of three retinal detachments, one giant retinal tear, three glaucoma, two aggravations of uveitis, two vitreous opacities, one retinal emorrhage, one proliferative vitreoretinopathy, one hyphema, and four transient high intraocular pressures(IOP), and in the control group, it consisted of two subluxations of intraocular lens(IOL), three glaucomas, one retinal tear, three transient high IOPs, two vitreous opacities, two retinal hemorrhages, three macular holes, two retinal detachments, and five cystoid macular edemas. From our experience, the incidence of complications after Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy in uveitis was higher than that in nonuveitis. It was also noted that it is necessary to follow up thoroughly the complications after Nd-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy in uveitis patients.
Cataract ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Hyphema ; Incidence ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Macular Edema ; Panuveitis ; Posterior Capsulotomy* ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinal Hemorrhage ; Retinal Perforations ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies ; Uveitis* ; Uveitis, Anterior ; Uveitis, Intermediate ; Uveitis, Posterior ; Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative