Immunocompetent cells and ocular resident cells in the tissues from patients with a clinical diagnosis of sympathetic ophthalmia were examined immunohistochemically. The choroidal infiltrates were shown to be composed primarily of T-lymphocytes. Different numbers of macrophages and B-lymphocytes were present in each case. A variety of immunopathological and histopathological findings may occur in clinically diagnosed sympathetic ophthalmia. The immunopathology resembles experimental autoimmune uveitis induced by retinal soluble model. Exposure of uveal tissue outside the eye and adjuvant effect may be important in the pathogenesis of this disease in humans.
