Retinitis pigmentosa associated with Fuchs' heterochromic uveitis

To investigate whether the combination of Fuchs' heterochromic uveitis (FHU) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in the same patient is coincidental or represents a true association.

We have examined the frequency of FHU in 338 patients with RP and in 1984 patients who were seen in our primary care ophthalmic clinic because of reasons other than RP.

Of 338 patients with RP, 4 (1.2%) had the typical findings of FHU. Three of them had Usher syndrome type II, and 1 had RP simplex. By contrast, only 1 patient in the control group had FHU (5%), and the difference in the frequency of FHU between the 2 groups was significant (P=.002, Fisher exact test).

Fuchs' heterochromic uveitis is associated with RP. Since autoimmune phenomena have been previously described in patients with RP, it is conceivable that RP predisposes to the development of FHU. Arch Ophthalmol. 2000;118:800-802