Uveitis is the inflammation of the middle layer (uvea) of the eye. This layer contains numerous blood vessels, so when inflammation occurs, it affects the patient’s vision and requires appropriate and timely treatment. Uveitis is a serious condition that can lead to blindness. If the underlying cause is not treated properly or if treatment is delayed, it can result in dangerous complications. Uveitis can be classified in several ways:
- Anatomical classification: Divided into anterior (front), intermediate (middle), posterior (back), and panuveitis (affecting the entire eye), including inflammation of the sclera and retinal blood vessels.
- Cause-based classification: The causes of uveitis include:
- Infections: Viral, bacterial, protozoal, fungal, tuberculosis, etc.
- Autoimmune-related inflammation: Conditions like SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus), scleroderma, or genetic conditions involving the HLA-B27 gene.
- Infection due to other physical diseases: Lymphoma, leukemia, etc.
- Trauma or eye surgery-related inflammation.
- Drug-induced inflammation.
- Idiopathic (when the cause cannot be identified).
Symptoms
- Severe eye pain
- Sensitivity to light
- Eye irritation and tearing
- Redness of the eyes
- Seeing floaters (spots moving across vision)
- Blurred vision (severity depends on the extent of inflammation and complications, such as cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal swelling).
Treatment
The primary treatment for uveitis is addressing the underlying cause, controlling inflammation, and reducing complications. The doctor will take a detailed medical and ocular history, conduct a physical exam, and perform laboratory tests to make an accurate diagnosis before proceeding with treatment.
- Treating the underlying disease causing uveitis along with treating the inflammation.
- If the uveitis is non-infectious, steroid medications (oral, injectable, or eye drops) are typically prescribed.
- If the uveitis is infectious, antimicrobial drugs (oral or injectable) are used.
- For chronic uveitis, doctors will provide preventive medications and closely monitor the condition to avoid recurrence.
In cases of non-chronic uveitis, symptoms typically resolve within a few days to weeks with appropriate treatment. However, there is still a possibility of recurrence depending on the cause of the disease. For patients with chronic uveitis, the condition may require long-term management, with symptoms fluctuating over months or even years.
