Fuchs' heterochromic iridocyclitis:: clinical manifestations in dark-eyed Mexican patients

Purpose: To describe the clinical features of Fuch's heterochromic iridocyclitis (FHI) in dark-eyed Mexican patients. Material and methods: A longitudinal, retrospective, and analytical study of the clinical features of FHI patients was performed. It reviewed the clinical charts of all patients with a diagnosis of FHI seen at the Inflammatory Eye Diseases Clinic of 'Dr. Luis Sanchez Bulnes' Hospital between April 1988 and September 1999. Results: Data of 68 patients (136 eyes) were reviewed. One eye was affected in 89.71% of the cases (61 patients). Fifty patients had brown eyes and iris heterochromia was clinically evident in 25%. Mild stellate keratic precipitates were seen in 80% of the affected eyes. Blurring of the iris surface was found in 40 eyes; iris nodules (Koeppe and/or Busacca) were present in half the cases. A cataract was observed in 69% of the affected eyes, 57.7% of which underwent surgery. Ocular hypertension was present in 30.66% of the affected eyes, glaucoma in 4%. Conclusions: The more common clinical features in this group of patients were fine and stellate keratic precipitates, atrophy of the iris crypts, and iris nodules. Clinically evident iris heterochromia was present in only 25% of the affected eyes. FHI diagnosis in brown-eyed patients cannot rely on iris heterochromy only.