Sarcoid Uveitis with Choroidal Involvement

To investigate characteristics of choroidal involvement in sarcoid uveitis.

Included were patients with confirmed sarcoidosis and uveitis with an eye examination at the Tays Eye Center at Tampere University Hospital between January 2014 and January 2021.

Choroidal involvement was found in 31 of 97 sarcoid uveitis patients (32%), and 5 of them were detected only after reviewing the ocular images for this study. None of our patients presented with vasculitis. Choroidal nodules were found in 10%, multifocal choroiditis in 90% and serpiginous choroiditis in 3% of patients with choroidal involvement. They had a higher rate of chronic course of uveitis (71% vs 29%, p < 0.001), bilateral uveitis (90% vs 58%, p = 0.001), vitreal snowballs (65% vs 15%, p < 0.001), and macular edema (36% vs 9%, p = 0.001).

Choroidal involvement is common and may be underdiagnosed in sarcoid uveitis. Therefore, we recommend carefully looking for choroidal involvement not only with slit-lamp but also with ocular imaging in patients with uveitis.