Encyclopedia - Uveitis

What causes uveitis?
What treatments are used?

Uveitis refers to an inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, the uvea - the part of the eye that supplies blood and nutrients to the eye. Any damage to this part of the eye can affect vision. Blood vessels must remain out of the way of the cornea and lens in order for people to have clear vision. When the vessels become irritated or inflamed, blood cells and other matter can leak out and cause cloudiness, blurring, redness and other symptoms.

There are two forms of uveitis:

Anterior uveitis, the most common form, occurs in the iris. It is often associated with autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus, and Lyme disease. Anterior uveitis usually occurs in people 20 to 50 years old, and it can affect one or both eyes. It usually lasts a few days to a few weeks even with treatment, and recurrences are common.
Posterior uveitis refers to the inflammation of the uvea that is in the back portion of the eye. Posterior uveitis is often associated with body infections, but many systemic diseases can be the cause. Uveitis is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States.

What causes uveitis?

It may be caused with an underlying systemic disease, or it may occur as a result of trauma to the eye.

Uveitis can either be acute or chronic. Acute uveitis is a result most often associated with blunt trauma. The chronic form is more often associated with other systemic disorders.

It is important to note, however, that many patients do not have obvious underlying causes for their uveitis and must undergo a comprehensive evaluation to determine the cause, if possible.

Symptoms of uveitis can include pain, redness, sensitivity to light and blurring. It can occur suddenly. Some patients complain of a deep, dull aching of the eye.

What treatments are used?

The first step in treating uveitis is detection. When treating anterior uveitis, eye care professionals aim at first reducing the inflammation and any discomfort, and second, preventing worsening of the condition. Treatment varies from patient to patient based, of course, on the patient's history and severity of the condition. Frequently, treatment includes the use of a steroid eye medicine to reduce the inflammation, a pain medicine for comfort, and possibly other medicines depending upon other present conditions. Patients are generally re-evaluated by their eye care professional within a range of one to seven days after beginning treatment.

To treat posterior uveitis, the physician must first discover the systemic disease that may be causing the inflammation. Then the disease can be treated. Anti-inflammatory medications, steroids, and even in some cases, chemotherapy can help decrease inflammation in the eye.

Posterior uveitis usually lasts much longer than anterior uveitis, continuing for months to years, and it can cause permanent vision loss despite treatment.

As with many vision problems, uveitis can result in other complications such as glaucoma, retinal damage and vision loss if left untreated. Patients with symptoms should consult their eye care professional immediately.