Glaucoma in Fuchs' Heterochromic Uveitis: aetiology, management and outcome

A study of glaucoma in a cohort of 103 patients with Fuchs' Heterochromic Uveitis (FHU) is reported. Twenty-seven patients (26.2%) had glaucoma. Half of these had glaucoma on presentation. The risk of development of glaucoma after presentation with FHU is 0.5% per year, falling substantially after 15 years follow-up. Causes of glaucoma include inflammation with peripheral anterior synechiae, rubeosis, lens-induced angle closure and recurrent spontaneous hyphaema, but most patients had chronic open angle glaucoma. Cataract surgery may precipitate glaucoma. Most patients were managed medically. The failure rate of glaucoma drainage surgery was 55.5%, and 5-Fluorouracil is to be recommended as an adjunct to surgery.