Anterior segment fluorophotometry in acute anterior uveitis

Anterior segment fluorophotometry was used to assess the severity of blood-aqueous barrier disruption in 25 patients with acute anterior uveitis. The results indicated that HLA-B27-positive patients had a more severe inflammation than did HLA-B27-negative patients, which was not discernible when judged by clinical signs and symptoms. Follow-up studies showed that the blood-aqueous barrier was disturbed for longer than the clinical signs indicated, and sometimes a temporary subclinical relapse was demonstrated on early withdrawal of topical therapy. The blood-aqueous barrier appeared to be restored after each attack of acute anterior uveitis in the majority of patients, with no evidence of progressive damage from repeated attacks. Our results indicated that fluorophotometry provides an objective and sensitive method of assessing anterior uveitis.