We conducted a retrospective analysis of 1122 patients with endogenous
uveitis treated at the University Eye Clinic in Turku during the eyar
s 1980-1982 and 1988. Of the 1122 patients 568 were men and 554 women;
1034 (92.2%) had anterior uveitis, 15 (1.3%) intermediate uveitis, 64
(5.7%) posterior uveitis and 9 (0.8%) panuveitis; 867 (77.3%) were un
ilateral and 255 bilateral; 789 of 1067 cases (73.9%) were of sudden o
nset and 278 of insidious onset; 808 of 1102 cases (73.3%) were of sho
rt duration and 294 of long duration; and 519 (46.3%) single and 603 r
epeated. In this study uveitis occurred significantly more often (44.2
%) in the age group 20-39 years than in other age groups (p < 0.00001)
. Anterior and posterior uveitis were more often unilateral than bilat
eral (p < 0.0005) and of sudden onset than of insidious onset (p < 0.0
0008). Acute anterior uveitis was the most common uveitic entity and a
ccounted for 745 cases (66.4%). Acute anterior uveitis associated with
ankylosing spondylitis was the single most frequently seen diagnostic
group including 144 cases (12.8%) with a statistically significant ma
le predominance (p < 0.00001).