Pattern of Uveitis in Iran: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE: Uveitis is the third leading cause of blindness worldwide. This study aimed to summarize the pattern of uveitis in Iran through a systematic review. METHODS: This review was conducted according to the guidelines for systematic reviews in the following four steps: literature search, study selection and assessment, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and statistical analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and fifteen articles were identified by an encyclopedic literature search, and three independent investigators examined them according to the defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eventually, 109 manuscripts were retrieved and six cross-sectional studies covering 3,567 patients were included and reviewed. According to the results, the mean age of patients was 40 years, and sex was not a statistically significant predisposing factor. The most common anatomical pattern of involvement was anterior uveitis, and the prevalence of the other three types of uveitis, including middle, posterior, and pan-uveitis, were almost equal. Overall, the most common etiologies of uveitis in the Iranian population were idiopathic uveitis, toxoplasmosis, Behcet's syndrome, and Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis. CONCLUSION: This study depicted the pattern of uveitis in the Iranian society; this can help physicians in the diagnostic approach, management, and treatment of patients.