[The relationship between the length of ciliary processes as measured by ultrasound biomicroscopy and the duration, localization and severity of uveitis].

Purpose: To determine the relationship between the length of ciliary processes as measured by ultrasound biomicroscopy and the duration, localization and severity of uveitis.

Methods: We analyzed in this prospective study, 58 individuals including patients with different stages of uveitis and normal patients (112 eyes including 18 normal), between August 2001 and August 2002, at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio, USA. All patients were referred to ultrasound biomicroscopy by the Uveitis Department, after a complete ophthalmological examination. A 50 MHz-transducer UBM model 840 (Zeiss-Humphrey) was used under topical anesthesia and immersion technique.

Results: The most frequent etiology was idiophatic uveitis (27.8%). Recurrent, aggressive and diffuse uveitis lead to significant damage of the ciliary processes. The most significant loss of the ciliary processes was found in the inferior quadrant and the highest in normal patients and in the temporal quadrant. Hypotonic eyes have their ciliary processes reduced.

Conclusions: Ultrasound biomicroscopy has proved to be useful in evaluating anatomical changes of ciliary processes in uveitis and in ocular hypotony, and provides a basis to, make recommendations regarding baseline screening of uveitis patients. Patients who are found to have atrophy of the ciliary processes may need a more aggressive treatment for any signs of inflammation to prevent further damage and eventual hypotony.