Purpose

To analyze the clinical characteristics of uveitis presenting for the first time in elderly patients (age >60 years)

Methods

Retrospective analysis of medical records of patients with uveitis who visited a tertiary eye care center between 2011 and 2021.

Results

A total of 56 eyes of 39 patients with a mean age of 65 ± 5 (60-76) years were included in this study. Male (59%) predominance with most cases presenting unilaterally (n=23, 59%) was observed. Anterior uveitis (28 eyes, 50%) was the most common presentation followed by Intermediate uveitis (18 eyes, 32%) and panuveitis (n=2,4%) being the least subtype was noted. Overall, 62% (n= 24) of elderly patients with uveitis had the underlying disease and the most common systemic association was tuberculosis (28%). Recurrence of inflammation was noted in 56% the patients and 86% of the patients developed complications. The visual acuity was more than 6/18 only in 27 patients on presentation. After a follow-up period of 65 ± 53 months, 41 (73%) patients had a visual outcome of more than 6/18 in 41 eyes.

Conclusions

The onset of uveitis for the first time in elderly patients is relatively rare but can have a course with higher recurrence and increased chances of complications.