The aim of current study was to evaluate the incidence and characteristics of ocular
sarcoidosis in a Korean population. We conducted a retrospective study of 104 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven
sarcoidosis seen at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, Korea, from 1993 to 2007. Medical records, photographs, and
fluorescein angiograms were reviewed. Of 104 patients, 22 (21%) had intraocular involvement with female predominance (86%, M:F=3:19). Of the 39 eyes with ocular involvement, 16 (41%) eyes had isolated
anterior uveitis, 12 (31%) eyes had
intermediate uveitis, 6 eyes (15%) had
panuveitis with
retinal vasculitis, and 5 (13%) eyes had
panuveitis with punched
multifocal choroiditis. Mean duration of ophthalmologic follow-up was 62 months. All ocular
inflammation was well managed with topical
steroid and/or systemic
steroid with relatively good final visual outcomes. Ocular complications such as
cataract (12 eyes, 30%),
glaucoma (6 eyes, 15%), vitreous opacity (1 eye, 3%),
cystoid macular edema (3 eyes, 7%), neovascularization (2 eye, 5%), and
epiretinal membrane (4 eye, 10%) were related to ocular
sarcoidosis. In Korea, where
sarcoidosis is very rare, our study indicates relatively low ocular and predominantly non posterior segment involvement with relatively good visual prognosis.