Purpose

This is a retrospective case series of TINU paediatric patients who presented during the COVID-19 pandemic to the Paediatric Uveitis clinic of Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, a tertiary referral centre in the northwest United Kingdom.

Methods

This is an observational study. We collected the data of uveitis patients under 16 years of age presented in the paediatric uveitis clinic from March 2020 to Dec 2021(during the COVID pandemic).

Results

A total of six patients presented with uveitis, and investigations were positive for TINU during the pandemic. Five patients (10 eyes) had anterior uveitis on presentation and one patient (2 eyes) presented with panuveitis. The average visual acuity on presentation was LogMAR 0.04. All the patients needed both oral steroids and immunosuppressants to control the inflammation. All the patients were started on mycophenolate mofetil on follow up. One patient who presented with panuveitis needed Adalimumab also with MMF on follow up. The Average visual acuity on the last follow up was LogMAR -0.04. Four eyes had active inflammation on the last follow up visit. One patient had uncontrolled raised IOP and need glaucoma tube surgery in both eyes and lensectomy in one eye for cataract formation.

Conclusions

This observational study suggests an increased incidence of children with TINU during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four patients had anterior uveitis on presentation and follow up. The one important finding of our study is that all these patients need oral immunosuppressants to control the inflammation. We have seen no new cases of TINU in our clinic since June 2021 again suggesting a relation with COVID exposure/ infection.