Uveitis in connective tissue disorders

This paper discusses the various uveal inflammatory signs which can be observed in the course of connective tissue disorders. These diseases can be divided into two groups: (1) Conditions mainly characterized by vasculitis and cardiopulmonary and renal involvement. To this group, in which uveitis is very rare, belong systemic lupus erythematosus, polyarteritis, polymyositis, scleroderma, and their variants. (2) Rheumatic diseases, in which uveitis can be a hall mark, include rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and their variants. A description is given of the clinical features of these forms of uveitis, the primary aetiology of which, like that of the systemic disease itself, remains unknown.