A Simple Guide to Uveitis
-------------------------------
What is Uveitis?
------------------
Uveitis is inflammation of the eye's uvea. The uvea is the eye's middle layer that consists of the iris, ciliary body and choroid.
What are different types of Uveitis?
----------------------------------
Uveitis is classified by the part of the uvea it affects.
1. Anterior uveitis refers to inflammation of the iris alone (called iritis) or the iris and ciliary body. Anterior uveitis is the most common form.
2.Intermediate uveitis refers to inflammation of the ciliary body.
3. Posterior uveitis is inflammation of the choroid.
Diffuse uveitis is inflammation in all areas of the uvea.
What are the dangers of Uveitis?
--------------------------------------
Many cases of uveitis are chronic.
They can produce numerous possible complications, including clouding of the lens (cataract) or cornea, elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), glaucoma, and retinal problems (such as swelling of the retina or retinal detachment).
These complications can lead to loss of vision.
Who are affected by Uveitis?
----------------------------------
Uveitis occurs most frequently in people ages 20 to 50.
It is more common in women and more likely to develop with age.
What are the Complications of Uveitis?
----------------------------------------------
Uveitis complications:
secondary cataracts,
secondary glaucoma,
high intraocular pressure,
retinal detachment
What are the Symptoms and Signs of Uveitis?
-----------------------------------------------------
With anterior uveitis, the symptoms usually affect only one eye.
There may be
mild to strong pain
redness and
light sensitivity.
Your vision may also be blurred.
Eye is tender to palpation
Both intermediate and posterior uveitis are usually painless.
Symptoms are blurred vision and floaters, typically in both eyes.
Diffuse uveitis has a combination of symptoms of all types of uveitis.
What Causes Uveitis?
--------------------------
Uveitis has dozens of causes, including viral, fungal, and bacterial infections.
But, in many cases, the cause is unknown (idiopathic).
Eye doctors can sometimes identify the cause if there has been trauma to the eye, such as from surgery or a blow, or if there is a history of an infectious or immunological systemic disorder.
Some of the many different systemic disorders that can cause uveitis include:
acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy
ankylosing spondylitis
Behçet's disease
birdshot retinochoroidopathy
brucellosis
herpes simplex
herpes zoster
inflammatory bowel disease
juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
Kawasaki's disease
leptospirosis
Lyme disease
multiple sclerosis
presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome
psoriatic arthritis
Reiter's syndrome
sarcoidosis
syphilis
systemic lupus erythematosus
toxocariasis
toxoplasmosis
tuberculosis
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome
What is the Treatment of Uveitis?
---------------------------------------
Non-drug:
-------------
warm water
pads to cover eyes for rest and avoid sun
Drugs:
--------
Your doctor will likely prescribe a steroid to reduce the inflammation in your eye.
Whether the steroid is in eye drop, pill, or injection form depends on the type of uveitis you have.
Because anterior uveitis affects the front of the eye, it's easy to treat with eye drops.
Intermediate uveitis can go either way, and
posterior uveitis usually requires tablets or injections.
Steroids and other immunosuppressants can produce many serious side effects:
such as
kidney damage,
high blood sugar,
high blood pressure,
osteoporosis, and
glaucoma.
In April 2005 the drug Retisert was approved by FDA for chronic non-infectious posterior uveitis. Retisert is a drug implant and is the first of its kind for treatment of uveitis. It consists of a drug reservoir that delivers sustained amounts of fluocinolone acetonide, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, for about two and a half years. It is implanted into the back of the eye. During clinical trials the incidence of reccurent uveitis fell from 40%-54% to 7%-14%. The most common side effects noted during those studies were cataract progression, increased intraocular pressure, procedural complications, and eye pain.
If you have anterior uveitis, your doctor will likely prescribe, in addition to the steroids, pupil-dilating eye drops to reduce pain.
You may also need eye drops to lower your intraocular pressure if it's elevated.
-------------------------------
What is Uveitis?
------------------
Uveitis is inflammation of the eye's uvea. The uvea is the eye's middle layer that consists of the iris, ciliary body and choroid.
What are different types of Uveitis?
----------------------------------
Uveitis is classified by the part of the uvea it affects.
1. Anterior uveitis refers to inflammation of the iris alone (called iritis) or the iris and ciliary body. Anterior uveitis is the most common form.
2.Intermediate uveitis refers to inflammation of the ciliary body.
3. Posterior uveitis is inflammation of the choroid.
Diffuse uveitis is inflammation in all areas of the uvea.
What are the dangers of Uveitis?
--------------------------------------
Many cases of uveitis are chronic.
They can produce numerous possible complications, including clouding of the lens (cataract) or cornea, elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), glaucoma, and retinal problems (such as swelling of the retina or retinal detachment).
These complications can lead to loss of vision.
Who are affected by Uveitis?
----------------------------------
Uveitis occurs most frequently in people ages 20 to 50.
It is more common in women and more likely to develop with age.
What are the Complications of Uveitis?
----------------------------------------------
Uveitis complications:
secondary cataracts,
secondary glaucoma,
high intraocular pressure,
retinal detachment
What are the Symptoms and Signs of Uveitis?
-----------------------------------------------------
With anterior uveitis, the symptoms usually affect only one eye.
There may be
mild to strong pain
redness and
light sensitivity.
Your vision may also be blurred.
Eye is tender to palpation
Both intermediate and posterior uveitis are usually painless.
Symptoms are blurred vision and floaters, typically in both eyes.
Diffuse uveitis has a combination of symptoms of all types of uveitis.
What Causes Uveitis?
--------------------------
Uveitis has dozens of causes, including viral, fungal, and bacterial infections.
But, in many cases, the cause is unknown (idiopathic).
Eye doctors can sometimes identify the cause if there has been trauma to the eye, such as from surgery or a blow, or if there is a history of an infectious or immunological systemic disorder.
Some of the many different systemic disorders that can cause uveitis include:
acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy
ankylosing spondylitis
Behçet's disease
birdshot retinochoroidopathy
brucellosis
herpes simplex
herpes zoster
inflammatory bowel disease
juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
Kawasaki's disease
leptospirosis
Lyme disease
multiple sclerosis
presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome
psoriatic arthritis
Reiter's syndrome
sarcoidosis
syphilis
systemic lupus erythematosus
toxocariasis
toxoplasmosis
tuberculosis
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome
What is the Treatment of Uveitis?
---------------------------------------
Non-drug:
-------------
warm water
pads to cover eyes for rest and avoid sun
Drugs:
--------
Your doctor will likely prescribe a steroid to reduce the inflammation in your eye.
Whether the steroid is in eye drop, pill, or injection form depends on the type of uveitis you have.
Because anterior uveitis affects the front of the eye, it's easy to treat with eye drops.
Intermediate uveitis can go either way, and
posterior uveitis usually requires tablets or injections.
Steroids and other immunosuppressants can produce many serious side effects:
such as
kidney damage,
high blood sugar,
high blood pressure,
osteoporosis, and
glaucoma.
In April 2005 the drug Retisert was approved by FDA for chronic non-infectious posterior uveitis. Retisert is a drug implant and is the first of its kind for treatment of uveitis. It consists of a drug reservoir that delivers sustained amounts of fluocinolone acetonide, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, for about two and a half years. It is implanted into the back of the eye. During clinical trials the incidence of reccurent uveitis fell from 40%-54% to 7%-14%. The most common side effects noted during those studies were cataract progression, increased intraocular pressure, procedural complications, and eye pain.
If you have anterior uveitis, your doctor will likely prescribe, in addition to the steroids, pupil-dilating eye drops to reduce pain.
You may also need eye drops to lower your intraocular pressure if it's elevated.
