Objective: To assess quantitatively and qualitatively tear secretion in Fuchs' intermediate (heterochromic) uveitis to detect any possible anomaly linked to Fuchs' uveitis.
Design: Prospective study.
Setting: University eye clinic, Chieti, Italy.
Patients: Thirty consecutive white patients aged 32 to 65 years with unilateral Fuchs' heterochromic uveitis.
Outcome measures: Results of Schirmer's test I, tear film breakup time, conjunctival mucus ferning.
Results: Schirmer's test I showed a tear deficiency in 15 patients; the tear film breakup time and ferning were abnormal in these patients. There was a significant difference in the test results between the affected eyes and the fellow, unaffected eyes (p < 0.001). There was no relation between tear deficiency and age.
Conclusions: The presence of tear anomalies only in the affected eye of patients with Fuchs' heterochromic uveitis suggests a link between Fuchs' uveitis and tear deficiency.