FUCHS HETEROCHROMIC IRIDOCYCLITIS REVISITED

Fuchs' heterochromic iridocyclitis is an unusual form of uveitis of un kown aetiology that continues to be poorly understood and underdiagnos ed. We present the clinical features observed in 77 patients (89 eyes) seen in the Uveitis Clinic at Leicester Royal Infirmary over a 2-year period. The most common presenting symptom was visual deterioration ( 96.1%) rather than pain (18.2%). Only 50.6% were diagnosed as Fuchs' h eterochromic iridocyclitis at presentation. At review, clinical hetero chromic iridum was observed in 70.1% and 15.6% were bilateral. Lens op acities were seen in 73.0%, 40.4% (of the total) having undergone cata ract surgery. Glaucoma was diagnosed in 15.7 % at presentation and in 21.3% at review by which time 9.0% (of the total) had required filtrat ion surgery. It is important that Fuchs' heterochromic iridocyclitis i s diagnosed correctly since, although many patients do not require act ive treatment, all should be screened at regular intervals for glaucom a.