UVEITIS

What is Uveitis?

Uveitis is a generalised term used for a group of inflammatory diseases that causes swelling and destroys eye tissue. Uveitis mainly affects the middle layer of tissue in the eye wall known as uvea. Uvea lies between the white part of your eye (sclera) and inner layers of your eye. It can affect either one of both eyes and generally occurs in people between 20-50 years.

What causes Uveitis?

There are many possible causes for Uveitis, namely:

• Autoimmune disorders: Sarcoidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, erythematosus, Behcet’s disease and ankylosing spondylitis.
• Inflammatory disorder: Crohn’s disorder and ulcerative colitis
• Infections: Syphilis and toxoplasmosis
• A cancer that affects eye
• Eye injury

What are the symptoms of Uveitis?

The various symptoms of Uveitis are:

• Pain and red eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• Blurred, cloudy vision
• Floaters
• Reduced vision
• Autoimmune disorder

How can Uveitis be treated?

The treatment for Uveitis depends on treating the underlying cause for the disease. It may include:

• Medications: Drugs that reduce inflammation, drugs that fight bacteria / virus and drugs that affect the immune system or destroys cells
• Surgical Approach: Vitrectomy, Surgery in which a device is implanted in the eye to provide slow and sustained release of medicine.