Population based assessment of uveitis in an urban population in southern India

Aim-To assess the prevalence of active and inactive uveitis unrelated to pr evious surgery or trauma in an urban population in southern India. Methods-As part of the Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study, 2522 subjects (85. 4% of those eligible), a sample representative of the population of Hyderab ad city in southern India, underwent interview and detailed dilated eye exa mination. Presence of sequelae of uveitis without current active inflammati on was defined as inactive uveitis. Results-Unequivocal evidence of active or inactive uveitis unrelated to pre vious surgery or trauma was present in 21 subjects, an age-sex adjusted pre valence of 0.73% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44-1.14%. Active uveitis w as present in eight subjects, an age-sex adjusted prevalence of 0.37% (95% CI 0.19-0.70), of which 0.06% was anterior, 0.25% intermediate, and 0.06% p osterior. The 0.36% (95% CI 0.17-0.68%) prevalence of inactive uveitis incl uded macular chorioretinitis scars (0.26%), anterior (0.07%) and previous v asculitis involving the whole eye (0.03%). The prevalence of visual impairm ent due to uveitis of less than 6/18 in at least one eye was 0.27%, less th an 6/60 in at least one eye was 0.16%, and less than 6/60 in both eyes was 0.03%. Conclusion-These population based cross sectional data give an estimate of the prevalence of various types of uveitis in this urban population in Indi a. Active or past uveitis that might need treatment at some stage was prese nt in one of every 140 people in this population.