Abstract
Purpose: To identify the pattern of uveitis in patients presenting to the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) uveitis service in Lebanon.
Methods: The charts of patients seen between January 2009 and September 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Data pertaining to patient demographics, eye examination on presentation, workup, and final diagnoses were collected.
Results: The total number of charts reviewed was 209. The most common noninfectious etiologies were Behçet disease, sarcoidosis, and HLA-B27-associated uveitis, while toxoplasmosis, herpes, and tuberculosis were the most common infectious etiologies. The mean duration of the disease before presentation to our center was 38 ± 56 months (range 0–284 months), with cataract formation in 90/234 (38%) and visual impairment in 134/291 (46%) eyes on presentation.
Conclusions: This case series reveals a significant delay in referring uveitis cases to a specialized center, which may contribute to the high percentage of patients presenting with ocular complications.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.