Uveitis
What is it?
Uveitis is a form of eye inflammation. It affects the middle layer of tissue in the eye wall (uvea). Uveitis warning signs often come on suddenly and get worse quickly. They include eye redness, pain and blurred vision. The condition can affect one or both eyes, and it can affect people of all ages, even children. Possible causes of uveitis are infection, injury, or an autoimmune or inflammatory disease. Uveitis can be serious, leading to permanent vision loss. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent complications and preserve vision.
Signs & symptoms
The signs, symptoms and characteristics of uveitis may include:
- Eye redness
- Eye pain
- Light sensitivity
- Blurred vision
- Dark, floating spots in field of vision (floaters)
- Decreased vision
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Uveitis includes a few tests:
- Eye exam
- Eye chart exam
- Blood tests
- Dilation of eyes in order to look inside
- Ocular pressure reading, it looks for another eye condition called glaucoma.
- Slit lamp exam, it’ll help to spot signs of inflammation.
Treatment
If uveitis is caused by an underlying condition, treatment may focus on that specific condition. Usually the treatment for uveitis is the same regardless of the associated cause, as long as it is not infectious. The goal of treatment is to reduce the inflammation in your eye, as well as in other parts of the body, if present. In some cases, treatment may be necessary for months to years. Several treatment options are available.
Medications includes:
- Drugs that reduce inflammation: Eye drops with an anti-inflammatory medication, such as a corticosteroid. Eye Drops are usually not enough to treat inflammation beyond the front of the eye, so a corticosteroid injection in or around the -eye or corticosteroid tablets (taken by mouth) may be necessary.
- Drugs that control spasms: Eye Drops that widen (dilate) the pupil may be prescribed to control spasms in the iris and ciliary body, which can help relieve eye pain.
- Drugs that fight bacteria or viruses: If uveitis is caused by an infection, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics, antiviral medications or other medicines, with or without corticosteroids, to bring the infection under control.
- Drugs that affect the immune system or destroy cells: Immunosuppressive drugs if the uveitis affects both eyes, doesn't respond well to corticosteroids or becomes severe enough to threaten the vision.
☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.
Learn more about our editorial process for content accuracy.
Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:
Latest discussions
.png)
Find people who are
experiencing a similar
medical reality
Free
Alike Wisdom
Instantly get answers to medical questions with our AI, built from the collective wisdom of our community facing similar experiences
You might also like