Pars Planitis in Children: Epidemiologic, Clinical, and Therapeutic Characteristics

PURPOSE To report the demographics and clinical characteristics, therapy logarithm, and prognosis of children with pars planitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS The medical records were reviewed of all patients diagnosed with pars planitis between June 1995 and December 2005 in the Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain. A retrospective, descriptive, and longitudinal study of 30 eyes in 16 children was performed. RESULTS Pars planitis was bilateral in 87.5% and more frequent in males (68.8%). Average age at onset was 9.2 years. The main ophthalmologic findings recorded were snowballs (96.7%) and vitritis (93.3%). Cataract formation was the most prevalent complication (36.7%). Mean initial and final best-corrected visual acuities were 0.640 and 0.840, respectively. Periocular corticosteroids were used in 33.3% of cases and cryotherapy or laser photocoagulation in 16.7%. Complications requiring surgical management occurred in 4 eyes (13.3%). CONCLUSION Pars planitis treated with adequate medical and surgical procedures has a good prognosis in most cases. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2007;44:288-293. AUTHORS The authors are from the Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain. Originally submitted July 17, 2006. Accepted for publication October 11, 2006. Address correspondence to Ricardo Romero, MD, Urbanizacion Quinta del Sol 32, Las Rozas, Madrid, 28231, Spain.