Uveitis survey at the University Eye Clinic in Turku.

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 1122 patients with endogenous uveitis treated at the University Eye Clinic in Turku during the years 1980-1982 and 1988. Of the 1122 patients 568 were men and 554 women; 1034 (92.2%) had anterior uveitis, 15 (1.3%) intermediate uveitis, 64 (5.7%) posterior uveitis and 9(0.8%) panuveitis; 867 (77.3%) were unilateral and 255 bilateral; 789 of 1067 cases (73.9%) were of sudden onset and 278 of insidious onset; 808 of 1102 cases (73.3%) were of short duration and 294 of long duration; and 519 (46.3%) single and 603 repeated. In this study uveitis occurred significantly more often (44.2%) in the age group 20-39 years than in other age groups (p < 0.00001). Anterior and posterior uveitis were more often unilateral than bilateral (p < 0.0005) and of sudden onset than of insidious onset (p < 0.00008). Acute anterior uveitis was the most common uveitic entity and accounted for 745 cases (66.4%). Acute anterior uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis was the single most frequently seen diagnostic group including 144 cases (12.8%) with a statistically significant male predominance (p < 0.00001).