Risk factors for elevated intraocular pressure in uveitis

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of raised intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with uveitis and to identify risk factors for raised IOP in patients with uveitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive case notes of 257 patients (402 eyes) attending a specialist uveitis clinic during a three-month period were reviewed. Patients with raised IOP were identified and further evaluated. Risk factors for raised IOP were determined. RESULTS: The prevalence of raised IOP in the study eyes was 41.8%. The prevalence of raised IOP requiring treatment was 29.8%. Raised IOP was found in 26.0% of eyes with acute uveitis and 46.1% of eyes with chronic uveitis. This difference was significant (P = 0.002). Similarly the prevalence of raised IOP requiring treatment in acute and chronic uveitis was 15.1% and 33.8%, respectively. This difference was also significant (P = 0.002). Active inflammation was significantly associated with raised IOP (P = 0.031). Steroid usage, increasing age, and number of years since diagnosis were significantly correlated with raised IOP (P = 0.008, P = 0.022, and P = 0.006, respectively); 9.6% of the study eyes developed glaucoma. The majority of these eyes (69.7%) were treated medically. The remainder (30.3%) required both medical and surgical management. CONCLUSION: Raised IOP is significantly more common in patients with chronic intraocular inflammation than those with acute uveitis. Risk factors for elevated IOP that should enable closer monitoring of 'at-risk' eyes have been identified.