Abstract: Nowadays, the diagnosis of tuberculous uveitis is still difficult to confirm for whose pathogen is nearly unavailable. As a popular molecular detection method that could amplify the nucleic acid of specific pathogens with trace samples, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is suitable for the diagnosis of tuberculous uveitis. In clinical practice, the types of PCR technology, intraocular fluid sample and the selection of the target gene sequence and patients, may affect the sensitivity of the PCR detection to a certain extent. Better understanding of the pathogenic mechanism and the anti-tuberculosis response in tuberculous uveitis will do a great help for clinicians to analyze the PCR detection results and treatment outcome from different perspectives.(Int Rev Ophthalmol, 2022, 46: 66-70)

Key words: polymerase chain reaction, tuberculous uveitis, mycobacterium tuberculosis