Clinical Features, Long-Term Outcomes, and Prognostic Factors of Eales' Disease in Korean Patients

Abstract

Purpose: We studied Korean patients with Eales' disease to document clinical features, long-term outcomes, and explore its association with TB, given South Korea's high TB burden.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of Eales' disease patients for clinical characteristics, long-term outcomes, and its association with TB.

Results: Among 106 eyes, the average age of diagnosis was 39.28 years, with 82.7% male and 58.7% having unilateral involvement. Patients who underwent vitrectomy showed greater long-term improvement in visual acuity (P = .047), while those with glaucoma filtration surgery showed less improvement (P = .008). Having glaucoma through disease progression was associated with poor visual outcomes (odds ratio=15.556, P < .02). 27 out of 39 patients (69.23%) who underwent IGRA screening tested positive for TB.

Conclusions: In Korean patients with Eales' disease, we observed male predominance, unilateral presentation, older age of onset, and a link with TB. Timely diagnosis and management should be considered to maintain good vision in patients with Eales' disease.