Pattern of Pediatric Uveitis at a Tertiary Referral Institute in North India

To report the pattern of pediatric uveitis in a tertiary care referral center in North India.

In a retrospective study, records of pediatric uveitis cases presenting at our center between 1996 and 2015 were reviewed for demographic data, anatomic distribution, and diagnosis.

Out of 9600 patients with uveitis, 369 children (3.84%; age ≤16 years; males: 54.20%) were included in the study. Anterior uveitis was the commonest presentation (n = 158; 42.81%), followed by posterior uveitis (n = 102; 27.64%). Uveitis was bilateral in 57.18% (n = 211). Infective etiology was seen in 99 children, of which tuberculosis was the commonest cause (n = 55; 14.91%). Among non-infectious etiologies, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) was the commonest cause (n = 59; 15.99%).

While anterior uveitis is the commonest uveitis in children, our cohort reported a high number of posterior uveitis cases compared to previous studies. Tuberculosis and JIA were the commonest causes of pediatric uveitis.