Ocular disorders in a series of 332 patients with Crohn's disease

Abstract

During a survey of 332 patients with Crohn's disease, some 21 patients were found to have ocular lesions. There were eight patients with anterior uveitis and four with corneal ulceration. Males were more often affected than females. Eye lesions developed in relation to active Crohn's disease and particularly in association with chronic continuous symptoms. The presence of an eye lesion was usually associated with at least one further systemic manifestation of Crohn's disease, and no less than half the patients with eye disease also had joint symptoms. After surgical treatment of the bowel lesion, the patient's prognosis in respect of the eye lesion was variable.