What is Uveitis?
Uveitis is inflammation inside your eye. Inflammation usually happens when your immune system is fighting an infection. Sometimes uveitis means your immune system is fighting an eye infection but it can also happen when your immune system attacks healthy tissue in your eyes. Uveitis can cause problems like pain, redness, and vision loss.
Diagnosis & Treatment
- Diagnosis
Uncovering the cause of inflammation requires a complete eye examination by a uveitis specialist. Imaging studies of the retina and other structures in the eye, as well as laboratory tests, are frequently needed for an accurate diagnosis.
- Treatment
Uveitis treatment depends on the patient’s specific diagnosis. The most common treatment is medical therapy, including eye drops, injections, or oral medications. Rarely, surgery may be necessary.
What are the types ?
- Anterior uveitis affects the iris at the front of the eye. It’s the most common type, and it’s usually less serious.
- Intermediate uveitis affects the ciliary body and the vitreous (gel-like fluid that fills the eye).
- Posterior uveitis affects the retina and the choroid at the back of the eye.
- Panuveitis affects all parts of the uvea, from the front to the back of the eye.
Symptoms
- Blurry vision
- Floaters (small dark spots or squiggly lines that float across your vision)
- Eye pain
- Red eyes
- Sensitivity to light
Causes
- AIDS
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Behcet’s disease
- Lupus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Psoriasis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sarcoidosis
- Ulcerative colitis
- Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease
Sometimes it’s caused by an infection or a condition related to an infection, like:
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis
- Histoplasmosis
- Reactive arthritis
- Shingles
- Syphilis
- Toxoplasmosis
Uveitis can also be caused by cancers that can affect the eye, like lymphoma.
At Amrita Medical Center, our staff is happy to answer any of your questions and help you decide if the right fit for you. We even offer same day appointments for your convenience. Contact us here!