Ocular manifestations of rheumatic diseases

Ocular manifestations of rheumatic disease are common and varied. The presentation of uveitis in psoriatic arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease differ from typical HLA-B27-associated uveitis. Giant cell arteritis continues to be a common cause of visual loss. Early diagnosis is crucial to limiting visual loss. Once visual loss has occurred, the need for oral versus intravenous steroids is controversial. Chronic uveitis associated with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis may be less prevalent than previously shown. However, poor visual outcomes continue to occur and efforts to identify visual prognosticators are being made. Ocular involvement in Behçet's disease, if untreated, leads to blindness. Azathioprine has been shown to improve visual prognosis. Concurrent central nervous system disease has been correlated to a poor visual prognosis.