Topic Study Guide

Uveitis MCQs & Guide

300+ questions with detailed explanations. Master uveitis for FRCOphth, ICO, FAICO, DNB and NEET-SS.

Uveitis overview

Uveitis is a heterogeneous group of inflammatory eye diseases that requires structured anatomical classification (SUN), targeted systemic workup, and a step-wise treatment ladder. It accounts for 10% of legal blindness in working-age adults.

Clinical & exam importance

Uveitis tests pattern recognition heavily. FAICO and DNB practical vivas use clinical photographs of KPs, posterior synechiae and chorioretinal lesions to anchor case discussions.

At a glance

MCQ bank
300+
Glossary terms
14+
Free sample MCQs
3
Matched products
2
Practice Uveitis MCQs

Core anatomy & physiology refresher

The foundations you need before tackling clinical and surgical MCQs.

  • Uveal tract: iris, ciliary body, choroid.
  • Blood–aqueous barrier formed by non-pigmented ciliary epithelium and iris vasculature.
  • Blood–retinal barrier formed by RPE tight junctions and retinal vascular endothelium.
  • Choroid is the most vascular tissue in the body per unit weight.
  • HLA associations: HLA-B27 (acute anterior uveitis), HLA-A29 (birdshot), HLA-B51 (Behçet).

High-yield uveitis facts for MCQs

The facts that appear most often in real exam stems. Learn them cold.

  • 1
    SUN classification by anatomy: anterior, intermediate, posterior, panuveitis.
  • 2
    Acute anterior uveitis (AAU): pain, photophobia, redness, miosis; HLA-B27 in 50%.
  • 3
    HLA-B27 associated systemic diseases: ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, IBD, psoriatic arthritis.
  • 4
    Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis: unilateral, mild inflammation, stellate KPs, heterochromia, cataract; rubella linked.
  • 5
    Pars planitis: intermediate uveitis with vitreous snowballs and inferior snowbanking; MS association.
  • 6
    Toxoplasma retinitis: focal necrotising chorioretinitis adjacent to a pigmented scar; treat with TMP-SMX or pyrimethamine-sulfadiazine.
  • 7
    CMV retinitis: AIDS-defining, pizza-pie appearance, treat with ganciclovir.
  • 8
    Acute retinal necrosis: VZV/HSV, peripheral confluent necrosis; treat with IV aciclovir.
  • 9
    VKH: bilateral panuveitis with neurological and dermatological signs; serous RD on OCT.
  • 10
    Sympathetic ophthalmia: bilateral granulomatous uveitis after penetrating injury or surgery; Dalen-Fuchs nodules.
  • 11
    Behçet disease: occlusive retinal vasculitis, hypopyon uveitis, oral and genital ulcers, pathergy.
  • 12
    Birdshot chorioretinopathy: HLA-A29, cream-coloured deep choroidal lesions, female predominance.
  • 13
    Sarcoid uveitis: mutton-fat KPs, candle-wax dripping, raised ACE; bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy.
  • 14
    Treatment ladder: topical/periocular steroids → systemic steroids → steroid-sparing immunosuppressants → biologics (adalimumab).
  • 15
    Complications of chronic uveitis: cataract, glaucoma, CME, band keratopathy, hypotony.

Related uveitis glossary terms

Exam-ready definitions filtered by subspecialty.

Browse full 316-term glossary
Endophthalmitis
Severe intraocular inflammation, usually infective; post-cataract surgery acute endophthalmitis is most often caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci.
Granulomatous Uveitis
Uveitis with mutton-fat keratic precipitates and iris nodules; differential includes sarcoidosis, TB, syphilis, VKH, and sympathetic ophthalmia.
Hypopyon
Layered leukocytes in the anterior chamber; classically seen in HLA-B27 uveitis, Behçet, and infectious endophthalmitis.
Iritis
Inflammation of the iris; the major component of anterior uveitis with cells, flare, and ciliary injection.
Keratic Precipitates (KPs)
Cellular deposits on corneal endothelium in uveitis; fine in non-granulomatous, large "mutton-fat" in granulomatous disease.
Posterior Synechiae
Adhesions between iris and anterior lens capsule due to uveitis; may cause pupillary block and iris bombe.
Sarcoidosis
Multisystem granulomatous disease; ocular involvement most commonly granulomatous anterior uveitis with mutton-fat KPs.
Sympathetic Ophthalmia
Bilateral granulomatous panuveitis following penetrating injury or intra-ocular surgery to one ("exciting") eye.
Uveitis
Inflammation of any part of the uveal tract; classified by anatomy (anterior/intermediate/posterior/pan) and aetiology.
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease
Autoimmune disease against melanocytes causing bilateral granulomatous panuveitis with exudative RDs, vitiligo, poliosis, and meningism.
Behçet Disease
Systemic vasculitis with recurrent oral/genital ulcers and bilateral non-granulomatous panuveitis with shifting hypopyon.
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Uveitis
Chronic anterior uveitis often asymptomatic in young girls with oligoarticular ANA-positive JIA; needs routine screening.
Punctate Inner Choroidopathy
Multifocal small chorioretinal lesions in young myopic women; can develop choroidal neovascularisation requiring anti-VEGF.
Toxocara
Nematode infection (dog roundworm) causing posterior pole or peripheral granuloma with traction in children; differentiate from retinoblastoma.

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Suggested study sequence

Six phases used by recent passers. Spread across 4–8 weeks per subspecialty.

  1. 1

    1. Anatomical classification

    SUN nomenclature and the targeted workup that follows from each compartment.

  2. 2

    2. Anterior uveitis

    Acute vs chronic, HLA-B27 spectrum, Fuchs, Posner-Schlossman.

  3. 3

    3. Intermediate uveitis

    Pars planitis, sarcoid, multiple sclerosis associations.

  4. 4

    4. Posterior uveitis

    Toxoplasma, CMV, ARN, PORN, syphilis, TB, sarcoid.

  5. 5

    5. Panuveitis

    VKH, sympathetic ophthalmia, Behçet, sarcoid.

  6. 6

    6. Treatment ladder

    Steroids, methotrexate, mycophenolate, anti-TNF biologics.

Free uveitis sample MCQs

A taste of the exam-style stems from the full bank.

Q1.Hypopyon uveitis is characteristic of:
A. Toxoplasmosis
B. HLA-B27 associated anterior uveitis and Behçet disease
C. Sarcoidosis
D. Fuchs heterochromic uveitis
E. CMV retinitis

Explanation: Hypopyon is classically seen in HLA-B27 acute anterior uveitis and Behçet disease; rarely in infections and endophthalmitis.

Q2.Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis is characterised by:
A. Granulomatous uveitis with posterior synechiae
B. Mild chronic anterior uveitis WITHOUT synechiae, heterochromia, secondary cataract
C. Acute hypopyon uveitis
D. Necrotising retinitis
E. Vasculitis

Explanation: Fuchs is a low-grade chronic anterior uveitis classically with heterochromia, fine stellate KPs, absence of posterior synechiae, cataract and secondary glaucoma.

Q3.Mutton-fat keratic precipitates indicate:
A. Non-granulomatous uveitis
B. Granulomatous uveitis (e.g. sarcoid, TB, syphilis, VKH)
C. Infectious endophthalmitis
D. Pigment dispersion
E. Iridoschisis

Explanation: Large greasy mutton-fat KPs (made of epithelioid cells) signify granulomatous inflammation – sarcoidosis, TB, syphilis, VKH, sympathetic ophthalmia.

Uveitis FAQ

Answers to the questions residents ask most about this topic.

What is the first investigation in newly diagnosed uveitis?
A targeted workup based on the anatomical compartment and clinical pattern. Routine baseline includes CBC, ESR, CRP, ACE, syphilis serology, mantoux/IGRA and CXR for sarcoid.
When to start systemic immunosuppression in uveitis?
When steroid taper below 7.5 mg/day prednisolone cannot be achieved without flare, or when sight-threatening posterior involvement is present.
Adalimumab indications in uveitis?
FDA-approved for non-infectious intermediate, posterior and panuveitis. First-line biologic in Behçet ocular disease.
How to differentiate viral retinitis subtypes?
CMV: indolent, AIDS, pizza-pie. ARN: immunocompetent, fulminant, VZV/HSV. PORN: immunocompromised, outer retinal, VZV.
Best book for uveitis?
Foster & Vitale Diagnosis and Treatment of Uveitis; Nussenblatt Uveitis; Kanski for exam-level coverage.

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