Symptoms of uveitis often come on suddenly and get worse quickly, including eye redness, pain, and blurred vision. It primarily affects people between the ages of 20 and 50, but it can also occur in children.
Uveitis can be dangerous and lead to permanent vision loss. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent complications of uveitis.
Symptoms
- Eye redness
- Pain
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurred vision
- Floating spots in the field of vision
- Decreased vision
Symptoms may come on suddenly and get worse quickly, although in some cases, they develop gradually. Uveitis may affect one or both eyes.
The uvea is the middle layer of tissue in the wall of the eye that includes the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. The choroid lies between the retina and the sclera. The retina is the innermost layer of the wall of the eye, and the sclera is the outermost layer of the wall of the eye. The uvea supplies blood to the deep layers of the retina.
The type of uveitis depends on which part or parts of the eye are inflamed:
Anterior uveitis: Affects the front part of the eye and is the most common type.
Intermediate uveitis: Affects the ciliary body, choroid, and iris.
Posterior uveitis: Affects the back of the eye (retina, optic nerve head).
Diffuse uveitis: This occurs when all parts of the uvea become inflamed.
In any of the above conditions, the jelly-like substance inside the eyeball (vitreous humor) may become inflamed.
Causes
In about half of cases, the cause of uveitis is unknown. If the cause is identified, it may be one of the following:
- Eye injury or surgery
- An autoimmune disorder such as sarcoidosis or ankylosing spondylitis
- An inflammatory disorder such as Crohn's disease (inflammation of the bowel)
- Infection, such as cat scratch disease, herpes, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis
- Any type of cancer that affects the eye, such as lymphoma
Treatment
The goal of treating uveitis is to help reduce pain and discomfort in the eyes, treat any underlying conditions (if possible), and reduce inflammation.
Treatment for uveitis depends on its cause. This means treating any infection, inflammatory disease, or autoimmune disorder that is causing it.
Treatment includes medications that are given topically, intraocularly, orally, or intravenously.
Steroid eye drops, the most common treatment, usually reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms. In severe uveitis, steroids are sometimes given as injections around the eye. They may also be taken orally.
To reduce pain and discomfort, mydriasis eye drops are used. These drops relax the muscles of the ciliary body, causing the pupil to dilate. As a result, pain is reduced and the swollen iris can rest and heal.
Complications
If left untreated, uveitis can cause complications, including:
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Optic nerve damage
- Retinal detachment
- Permanent vision loss