Spontaneous cataract absorption in patients with leptospiral uveitis

Aims-To describe the occurrence of spontaneous cataract absorption in patie nts with leptospiral uveitis. Methods-The records of patients with seropositive leptospiral uveitis seen in the uveitis clinic at Aravind Eye Hospital between January 1994 and Dece mber 1997 were reviewed retrospectively. Results-During the 4 years of the study, 394 eyes of 276 patients with sero positive leptospiral uveitis were identified. Of these, 54 eyes (13.7%) of 41 patients (14.9%) had a final visual acuity of 20/40 or worse attributabl e to cataract formation. Of these 54 eyes, 41 eyes (75.9%) had visually sig nificant cataract on their first visit to the uveitis clinic, and 13 eyes ( 24.1%) were noted to have cataract 1-6 months after presentation. Spontaneo us absorption was observed in 10 eyes (18.5%) of eight patients (19.5%), an d occurred from 6 weeks to 18 months, with a median of 5 months, after the onset of cataract. Of 12 035 consecutive, non-leptospiral, nontraumatic, uv eitic, control patients seen during the same 4 years of the study, none sho wed spontaneous cataract absorption. Conclusion-Spontaneous cataract absorption occurs in a significant number o f patients with leptospiral uveitis, and appears to be unique to this form of non-traumatic uveitis.