Characteristics of Uveitis in European Tertiary Ophthalmology Centers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Uveitis is one of the leading causes of preventable visual impairment and shows marked heterogeneity in anatomical distribution, etiology, and management. Although numerous European cohorts have been published, pooled estimates are lacking. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to contextualize characteristics of uveitis across European tertiary ophthalmology centers to provide a reference framework for clinical and research applications.

A systematic search was conducted up to January 15, 2026, in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and a pre-registered protocol. Observational cohort and cross-sectional studies including ≥ 50 adult uveitis patients managed in European tertiary referral centers were eligible. Risk of bias was assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Random-effects meta-analyses with logit transformation and restricted maximum likelihood estimation were performed for outcomes reported by at least five comparable studies.

Twenty-seven studies including 30 471 patients were analyzed. Anterior uveitis was the most common anatomical subtype (pooled proportion 52.1%, 95% CI: 43.2-60.9%), followed by posterior uveitis (18.9%, 95% CI: 15.9-22.4%), panuveitis (14.4%, 95% CI: 10.7-19.1%), and intermediate uveitis (8.7%, 95% CI: 6.9-10.9%). Etiologically, non-infectious uveitis predominated (44.9%, 95% CI: 39.4-50.5%), followed by idiopathic (34.3%, 95% CI: 29.9-39.0%) and infectious uveitis (23.0%, 95% CI: 20.6-25.5%). All pooled estimates showed substantial heterogeneity (I² > 90%). Treatment patterns and complication rates were inconsistently reported and are therefore summarized descriptively.

This study provides the first pooled benchmark estimates of uveitis characteristics across European tertiary centers, revealing substantial heterogeneity. The results offer a reference framework for contextualizing single-center cohorts and identifying regional variation across Europe.