What is Uveitis

Eye is made of three layers and Uvea is the middle layer between the white part of the eye (Sclera) & the inner layer of the eye.  Swelling or inflammation of Uvea is termed as Uveitis. But it is not a single disease and has different causes

Types of Uveitis: Depends on part of Uvea involved

• Anterior: Inflammation of IRIS
• Intermediate: Inflammation of Ciliary Body
• Posterior: Inflammation of the choroid)
• Panuveitis: Inflammation of all parts of Uvea

Symptoms

• Eye redness
• Pain
• Blurry / decreased vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Floaters, those tiny dots or specks in your vision
• Headaches
• A small pupil – in case of chronic Uveitis
• Alteration of the color of the iris

Uveitis may be seen in one or both eyes and it may come on suddenly. In some cases its more gradual. Untreated, it can lead to vision loss.

What your doctor looks for

Since Uveitis is broad-based disease it can be triggered by many causes:

• Injury to the eye,
• Viral or bacterial infection and
• Systemic causes / underlying diseases like
  • Uvenile Arthritis,
  • Psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis,
  • Inflammatory disorders, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Ankylosing spondylitis
  • Tuberculosis
  • AIDS/HIV and other diseases that weaken the immune system
  • Syphilis
  • CMV retinitis
  • Herpes zoster infection
  • Histoplasmosis
  • Behcet’s disease
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Sarcoidosis
  • Toxoplasmosis

Diagnosis

• Slit Lamp Examination – to confirm the diagnosis
• Medical history, blood tests, skin tests, or X-rays – to determine the underlying cause, if any.

Treatment

• Eye drops – usually used to treat Anterior Uveitis
• Oral or Injectable medication – in case of intermediate/ posterior/panuveitis may additionally required
• Immunosuppressant drugs – in case of very severe / vision-threatening Uveitis

Prognosis

• Uveitis is a recurring disease – can come back post recovery any number of times
• Uveitis may lead to partial or total vision loss, if not treated properly.
• Sequelae post treatment of Uveitis are
  • Glaucoma
  • Cataracts
  • Macular edema
  • Scar tissue
  • Retinal detachment, or detached retina
  • Vision loss despite treatment especially if the underlying disease is not treated