Familial uveitis

Abstract

Familial uveitis is a term that when used broadly indicates the existence of uveitis within a family. However, the presence of familial uveitis in a patient is not always informative with respect to diagnosis or predicting outcomes, and conversely, a particular uveitic diagnosis (with few exceptions) cannot predict the presence of uveitis in other family members. While some rare forms of uveitis clearly have a predominant genetic component, in most observations of familial uveitis, it is difficult, if not impossible on a case-by-case basis, to sort out the specific contributions of genetic factors versus environmental influences.