A recent study found an association between low vitamin D counts and noninfectious uveitis. Researchers used data from a health care claims database to identify 558 adult patients with noninfectious uveitis and an updated vitamin D level measurement from the past year. Then, using various logistic regression models, they discovered hypovitaminosis D (vitamin D deficiency) was associated with an increased incidence of noninfectious uveitis in the study group.

After comparing the results of each uveitis patient with five healthy controls, the researchers found that patients with normal vitamin D levels were 21% less likely to have noninfectious uveitis than those with low vitamin D levels.

“This and other reports have found an association between hypovitaminosis D and noninfectious uveitis,” the study concluded. “However, these studies cannot establish a causal relationship.” The researchers recommend that future studies focus on whether hypovitaminosis D does indeed cause an increased risk of uveitis and what role vitamin D supplementation plays in uveitis prevention and management.

Sobrin L, Stanwyck LK, Pan W, et al. Association of Hypovitaminosis D With Increased Risk of Uveitis in a Large Health Care Claims Database. JAMA Ophthalmol. April 05, 2018. [Epub ahead of print].