Overview

Uveitis is a form of eye inflammation. It affects the center layer of tissue within the eye wall (uvea).

Uveitis warning signs often come on suddenly and obtain 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 disease . Many times a cause can't be identified.

Uveitis is often serious, resulting in permanent vision loss. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to stop complications and preserve your vision.

Symptoms

The signs, symptoms and characteristics of uveitis may include:

Ø  Eye redness

Ø  Eye pain

Ø  Light sensitivity

Ø  Blurred vision

Ø  Dark, floating spots in your field of vision (floaters)

Ø  Decreased vision

Symptoms may occur suddenly and obtain worse quickly, though in some cases, they develop gradually. They may affect one or both eyes. Occasionally, there are not any symptoms, and signs of uveitis are observed on a routine eye exam.

The uvea is that the middle layer of tissue within the wall of the attention . It consists of the iris, the membrane and therefore the choroid. When you check out your eye within the mirror, you'll see the white a part of "> a part of the attention (sclera) and therefore the colored part of the attention (iris).

The iris is found inside the front of the attention . The membrane may be a structure behind the iris. The choroid is a layer of blood vessels between the retina and the sclera. The retina lines the within of the rear of the attention , like wallpaper. The inside of the rear of the attention is crammed with a gel-like liquid called vitreous.

When to seek medical advice

Contact your doctor if you think you have the warning signs of uveitis. He or she may refer you to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist). If you're having significant eye pain and unexpected vision problems, seek immediate medical attention.

Causes

In about half of all cases, the specific cause of uveitis isn't clear, and the disorder may be considered an autoimmune disease that only affects the eye or eyes. If a cause can be determined, it may be one of the following:

Ø    An autoimmune or inflammatory disorder that affects other parts of the body, such as sarcoidosis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus or Crohn's disease

Ø    An infection, such as cat-scratch disease, herpes zoster, syphilis, toxoplasmosis or tuberculosis

Ø    Medication side effect

Ø    Eye injury or surgery

Ø    Very rarely, a cancer that affects the eye, such as lymphoma

Risk factors

People with changes in certain genes could also be more likely to develop uveitis. Cigarette smoking has been associated with more difficult to control uveitis.

Complications

Left untreated, uveitis can cause complications, including:

Ø  Retinal swelling (macular edema)

Ø  Retina scarring

Ø  Glaucoma

Ø  Cataracts

Ø  Optic nerve damage

Ø  Retinal detachment

Ø  Permanent vision loss

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