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Annotated abstract

130004 Migratory dark without pressure: potential inflammatory marker in paediatric uveitis

bmjophth · 2025-10-05 · canonical JSON source

11 visible annotations · policy: published · automated confidence ≥ 75.00%

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Dark without pressure (DWP) is an asymptomatic retinal finding commonly seen in darkly pigmented fundi. It is often an incidental finding, but has also been reported in cases of haemoglobinopathies, autoimmune disease, and post infection (Ebola and toxoplasmosis). It is typically benign and stationary, with mid-periphery lesions demonstrating a thinned ellipsoid zone on retinal OCT imaging.Children seen in the Paediatric Uveitis Service at Birmingham Children’s Hospital between 2019–2025 were evaluated for DWP and serial fundus photographs were analysed. We assessed demographics, uveitis type, duration, and correlation with inflammation or treatment. We aim to report our findings of rapidly evolving or migratory DWP lesions and their association with uveitis and inflammatory control. 13 of 234 patients had migratory DWP during their follow-up. Median age was 10 years (Range: 5–15 years). 9 patients were non-Caucasian (5 black/African/Caribbean, 4 Asian), 2 Caucasian, and 2 of mixed ethnicity. 6 had anterior uveitis, 4 panuveitis and 1 posterior scleritis. Median vision at presentation was 0.12 logMAR. Median grade of anterior chamber inflammation was +1 cells. One patient had vitritis of +3 cells at presentation. 2 had polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and one aplastic anemia. Treatments included topical steroids, systemic steroids, other DMARDs and biologics, or a combination. In one case of unilateral uveitis, DWP was only present in the affected eye. In our cohort, the appearance, evolution, and resolution of DWP lesions occurred around episodes of uveitis activity and resolution. We hypothesise that DWP in active uveitis patients may be a marker of underlying disease activity, although the precise pathophysiological mechanism is not yet fully understood. This association could provide a novel clinical sign in the monitoring of uveitis in some children.