Pars planitis: a comparison of childhood onset and adult onset disease.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the symptoms, visual acuities and complications found in childhood onset pars planitis, with those seen in adult onset disease.


METHODS
The records of 26 patients (52 eyes) with idiopathic pars planitis seen at a tertiary care clinic were reviewed. The study design allowed comparison of follow-up visual acuities for the adult onset and childhood onset groups at 2 years and 5 years from the time of initial diagnosis.


RESULTS
The visual acuity at the time of initial diagnosis, at 2 years' follow up and at 5 years' follow up was worse for children than for adults, but this difference only reached statistical significance at 2 years' follow up (6/10 vs 6/7; P = 0.026). When looking at correlation coefficients between age and acuity, the same trend was observed at all time intervals, only reaching statistical significance with initial visual acuities (r = 0.32; P = 0.019). Adults had a tendency to complain more at presentation of blurred vision and floaters than children. Complication rates were similar for both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The study presents data supporting the idea that patients presenting with idiopathic pars planitis in childhood have a worse visual acuity both at initial diagnosis and at follow up than those presenting in adulthood. This is a long-suspected finding that has not previously been demonstrated.
Guest
S
S
Department of Clinical Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK. s.guest@clear.net.nz
Funkhouser
E
E
Lightman
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015868:Pars Planitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology