INCIDENCE OF UVEITIS IN NORTHERN FINLAND

Abstract

The incidence of uveitis was studied among the 613,426 inhabitants of northern Finland in 1969. New cases (120) of uveitis were found with a total incidence rate of 19.6/100,000 population. The incidence was high in the age groups 20-59 yr but low in the young and in older patients. The onset of uveitis was independent of seasonal changes and the occupation of the patients. The etiology of uveitis remained undetermined in 81% of the cases. Of the 120 patients, 105 had anterior, 10 posterior and 5 generalized uveitis. The high incidence of anterior uveitis was in accordance with the high frequency of the histocompatibility antigen B27 among the Finns.