[A clinical analysis of 30 cases of sympathetic ophthalmia]

To study the clinical characteristics of 30 patients with sympathetic ophthalmia in order to find out the valuable clues for future investigation.

The incidence, cause, location of injury, and prognosis of the 30 patients were analyzed retrospectively.

Patients with sympathetic ophthalmia occupied 0.72% of the in-patients with eye trauma in our hospital between 1982 and 1997. In most cases the disease related with perforating injury at the limbus or the sclera, but in a few cases it may be associated with blunt trauma, tumors or even intraocular operation. Diffuse uveitis in sympathizing eye happened in 63.3% of the patients.

Development of sympathetic ophthalmia always related to the damaged ocular structure. Association of sympathetic ophthalmia with hereditary background and the melanin-protein may be worthy of study in future.