Macular structural changes and factors affecting final visual acuity in patients with Behçet uveitis.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate macular structural changes during the active and remission periods in patients with Behçet uveitis and to further assess the factors affecting final visual acuity. METHODS: Clinical records and spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings of patients with Behçet uveitis were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Sixty-nine eyes of 35 patients were included in the study. SD-OCT findings in the active uveitis period included epiretinal membrane (ERM) in 26 (37.1%) eyes, ellipsoid zone (EZ) damage in 11 (15.7%), external limiting membrane (ELM) damage in 10 (14.3%), macular atrophy in 6 (8.6%), disruption of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in 11 (15.7%), a macular scar in 1 (1.4%), and loss of normal foveal contour appearance in 15 (21.4%). There was macular edema in 23 eyes (32.9%) in the active uveitis period (11 (15.7%) cystoid macular edema, 10 (14.3%) diffuse macular edema, and 7 (10.0%) serous retinal detachment). In the remission period, SD-OCT findings included ERM in 37 (52.9%) eyes, EZ damage in 14 (20%), ELM damage in 14 (20%), macular atrophy in 7 (10%), disruption of RPE in 14 (20.0%), macular scar in 1 (1.4%), and loss of normal foveal contour appearance in 17 (24.3%). The mean central macular thickness in the remission period was significantly lower than in the active uveitis period (p < 0.001). The presence of EZ damage and loss of normal foveal contour appearance in active uveitis period were the independent factors associated with final visual acuity (logMAR) (ß = 0.736, p = 0.003; ß = 0.682, p = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSION: Ellipsoid zone damage and loss of normal foveal contour appearance are important factors affecting visual acuity in Behçet uveitis.