What Should You Know About Uveitis Eye Condition?

Uveitis is a kind of severe eye infection. It causes inflammation of the middle layer of the eyewall tissues, also known as Uvea. It can be very painful and cause red eyes with a cloudy vision. There can be several causes of uveitis that can lead to vision loss and swelling, and damage to the eyes. It affects people of all ages, including children. Therefore, it’s better to have all the information about uveitis in advance. 

What Is a Uvea?

The uvea is a layer of tissue that is found in the wall of the eye. It has several functions like light absorption and focusing on the eyeballs. There are different parts of the uvea, and each of them has different functions:

• The iris: It surrounds the pupil and has a distinct color of its own. The iris is responsible for giving color to the eye.
• Choroid: It helps the eye lens in focusing on an object.
• Ciliary body: It is a ring of muscle that connects the retina with the sclera of the eye and is placed behind the iris.

Types of Uveitis

Four types of uveitis can affect the eyes. They are:

• Anterior uveitis: This is the most common type of uveitis that affects the eyes. It affects the front portion of the eye and is also better known as the iritis. It happens when the eye’s iris gets inflamed due to any infection.
• Intermediate Uveitis: Intermediate uveitis is also known as vitreous uveitis, which is an inflammation of the eye’s vitreous cavity.
• Posterior Uveitis: When the retina and the eye’s choroid get inflamed, it is known as posterior uveitis.
• Panuveitis: When all the layers of the uvea are inflamed, it is known as panuveitis. It can affect all parts of the eye and cause blindness and reduced vision.

Causes of Uveitis

There can be several reasons why you can suffer from uveitis. The inflammation can happen because of viral or bacterial infections, autoimmune disorders, or even injuries to the eye. Some other reasons that can enhance the risk of uveitis include:

• Herpes
• HIV/AIDS
• Shingles
• Brucellosis
• Lyme disease
• Syphilis
• Tuberculosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Psoriasis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Multiple sclerosis etc.

Symptoms of Uveitis

Most often, uveitis occurs all of a sudden. However, the signs and the symptoms can vary from person to person. Some of the possible symptoms include:

• Eye pain and redness of the eyes
• Floaters- some sudden spots in the eye that looks apparently like transparent bubbles or tiny rods floating around.
• Blurred and cloudy vision
• Photophobia or sensitivity towards a bright light
• Headaches

What Are the Treatments Available for Uveitis?

If the eye infection is non-infectious, a specialist ophthalmologist will treat you for eye inflammation. It often includes steroid eye drops to reduce inflammation. Depending on the type and severity of the infection, your ophthalmologist will prescribe you eye drops along with oral pills and even injections. You can also visit an eye care hospital for more detailed tests and treatment for your inflammation.

A more recent uveitis treatment involves the insertion of an eye implant behind the eye socket that secrets corticosteroids for a long-term period of 2-3 years. However, this treatment is only for chronic uveitis that refuses to heal with the conventional medication and treatments. This treatment can also cause glaucoma or cataracts in the long run.

Conclusion:

Your vision is important, and you would not want to lose it because of any negligence on your part. No matter how old you are, it is important to see your ophthalmologist periodically. If you have any other health conditions like Aids/ HIV or colitis, make sure to inform your doctor. If you face any unusual conditions in your eyes like blurry vision, redness or pain, meet your doctor as soon as possible. That way, you would be able to keep your eyesight healthy and treat any eye problems quickly before it becomes severe.

If you are concerned about your eye health, do not hesitate to visit a reputed eye hospital near you. At Netralayam, we have a bunch of specialist ophthalmologists who have years of experience and the necessary expertise in handling all kinds of eye infections. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our ophthalmologists.