Study lead Dr Xiaoxuan Liu, University of Birmingham, UK

A UK study suggests the rate of visual field (VF) loss in glaucoma patients progresses faster in those with uveitis compared to those without, requiring close monitoring and a low threshold for screening.  

The retrospective study, published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, examined rates of VF loss in patients with uveitis and glaucoma against patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The association between intra ocular pressure (IOP) and the rate of VF loss were also explored.  

The age-adjusted relative risk ratio of uveitis plus glaucoma eyes for losing mean deviation ≥1.5 dB/year was 1.9 (95% confidence interval: 1.8-2.0) when compared to eyes with POAG only, which means for a similarly aged population, a patient in the uveitis group was 1.9 times more likely to be a fast progressor than patients in the POAG group.  

The longitudinal metrics IOP analysis showed higher IOP range and variability, particularly in uveitic eyes that progress rapidly.