Behçet’s Uveitis

Abstract

Behçet’s uveitis is one of the most severe forms of intraocular inflammation involving both anterior and posterior segments of the eye. Nongranulomatous anterior uveitis, diffuse vitritis, and leaky and occlusive retinal vasculitis are the characteristic features. A variety of acute inflammatory signs of variable severity appear at the onset of uveitis attacks, including anterior chamber cells and flare, hypopyon, diffuse vitreous cells and haze, retinal infiltrates, hemorrhages, edema, sheathing and occlusion of retinal vasculature, predominantly retinal veins of any size, and papillitis. High-dose corticosteroids combined with conventional immunomodulatory agents are generally used as the first-line treatment; biologic agents such as interferon alpha and TNF inhibitors are used in refractory cases in order to control acute intraocular inflammation and to prevent recurrences in this potentially blinding disease.