[A clinical analysis of 30 cases of sympathetic ophthalmia].

PURPOSE: To study the clinical characteristics of 30 patients with sympathetic ophthalmia in order to find out the valuable clues for future investigation. METHODS: The incidence, cause, location of injury, and prognosis of the 30 patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Patients with sympathetic ophthalmia occupied 0.72% of the in-patients with eye trauma in our hospital between 1982 and 1997. In most cases the disease related with perforating injury at the limbus or the sclera, but in a few cases it may be associated with blunt trauma, tumors or even intraocular operation. Diffuse uveitis in sympathizing eye happened in 63.3% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Development of sympathetic ophthalmia always related to the damaged ocular structure. Association of sympathetic ophthalmia with hereditary background and the melanin-protein may be worthy of study in future.