Laser flare photometry in uveitis

Abstract

Aqueous flare and cells are inflammatory parameters of anterior chamber inflammation resulting from disruption of the blood-ocular barrier. The ocular inflammation related to anterior chamber cells and flare is assessed by conventional clinical grading systems through using the slit-lamp examination. However, a more quantitative and objective assessment is needed for more precise and reproducible inflammatory assessment in uveitis. Laser flare photometer (LFP) was introduced as a noninvasive, objective, and quantitative evaluation of aqueous flare intensity and number of cells in the anterior chamber with good accuracy and repeatability. The success of LFP allowed clinicians to further evaluate the pathophysiology of intra-ocular inflammation and to incorporate LFP measurements to their routine clinical practice for diagnosis, management, and treatment of uveitis cases. In this review, we will discuss the importance of clinical utilization of LFP and the correlation between LFP and clinical grading systems along with some technical aspects. Furthermore, we will give a literature summary on the current applications of LFP in clinical practice of cases which present with various types of uveitis and diverse ocular conditions with or without inflammation.