Management of chronic pediatric uveitis.
OBJECTIVE
The diagnosis and management of chronic pediatric uveitis can be particularly challenging, with an estimated 25-33% of childhood uveitis cases resulting in severe, life-long visual disability. This paper reviews the recent literature on the management of chronic pediatric uveitis.


RESULTS
This review highlights recent advances in the diagnosis and medical and surgical management of pediatric uveitis. Several systemic diseases associated with chronic uveitis in children are highlighted, including juvenile idiopathic arthritis, sarcoidosis and Behçet's disease. The treatment of primary ocular diseases associated with chronic pediatric uveitis such as intermediate uveitis and Fuchs' heterochromic iridocyclitis is discussed. The management of infectious causes of pediatric uveitis is not covered in this review.


CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge of the ocular complications of chronic pediatric uveitis can help to customize efficacious therapeutic regimens for each patient, maximize the visual potential and minimize complications of these diseases. In addition a close relation should be fostered between pediatricians, pediatric rheumatologists and ophthalmologists to effectively monitor these patients who have multiple medical, surgical and refractive needs. Finally, surgical intervention must be appropriately timed with expert perioperative management of immunosuppressive medications with pediatric concerns in mind.
Levy-Clarke
Grace A
GA
Laboratory of Immunology and Division of Clinical Research and Epidemiology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Nussenblatt
Robert B
RB
Smith
Janine A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D014605:Uveitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*