AIM: To explore the current status, research hotspots, and trends of global uveitis research to provide a theoretical basis and references for researchers in the field of uveitis, and promote further development in this area.

METHODS: Relevant literatures on uveitis were retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)database, Wanfang database, and Web of Science core collection database since their establishment until 24 August 2023. The country/publishing institutions, research authors, high-frequency keywords, and burst keywords were visual analyzed by using software such as GraphPad Prism 9, CiteSpace 6.2. R2, and VOSviewer.

RESULTS: Research teams for uveitis have been formed in various countries globally. The top three countries in terms of publications are the United States of America(7 585 papers), the United Kingdom(2 412 papers)and Germany(1 679 papers). The top three foreign institutions in terms of publications are Harvard University, Oregon Health & Science University, and Moorfields Eye Hospital, while the top three domestic institutions are Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, and Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University. The analysis of high-frequency keywords and burst keywords in Chinese and English shows that research hotspots mainly focus on exploring pathogenesis and different treatment methods for uveitis. The research hotspots related to uveitis treatment are transitioning to molecular biology-related research topics, such as molecular biological signaling pathways(NF-κB signaling pathway with a strength value of 22.89), biological agents(adalimumab with a strength value of 32.21), and tumor necrosis factor(with a strength value of 48.44). Related research is also expanding to basic experiments on relevant rats.

CONCLUSIONS: In recent years, the research hotspots and trends of global uveitis mainly focus on precise diagnosis, pathogenesis, and more effective treatment methods. It is important for more scholars to dedicate themselves to uveitis-related research in the future to make breakthroughs and progress in the field. More large-scale and multicenter clinical studies on uveitis can provide high-quality research evidence.