Bilateral uveitis after phakic intraocular lens implantation and management with adalimumab

Abstract

A 25-year-old woman with myopia who had an AC pIOL implantation in the left eye and posterior chamber pIOL implantation in the right eye developed bilateral granulomatous panuveitis 2 months after the second surgery. Physical examination showed bilateral Koeppe and Busacca nodules. Fluorescein angiography showed diffuse vascular and retinal pigment epithelial leakage in both eyes. With assessment of sympathetic ophthalmia, treatment with a high-dose systemic steroid was started. Oral cyclosporine and azathioprine were later added. Because the uveitis was not controlled, adalimumab was added. After 6 doses of adalimumab (40 mg subcutaneously), the uveitis subsided and corticosteroid and other immunosuppressive agents were tapered. Refractive AC pIOL implantation should be added to the list of intraocular procedures that may induce sympathetic ophthalmia. Adalimumab may have a therapeutic role in its management.