What Are The Symptoms Of Uveitis?
Uveitis can be severe and lead to permanent vision loss. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent complications. So what are the symptoms of uveitis?
Uveitis is a form of eye infection. It affects the middle skin of the eye, the uvea. This condition can occur in one or both eyes. Symptoms tend to come on suddenly and get worse quickly. This disease is most common in people between the ages of 20 and 50, but it can also occur in children.
Uveitis can be serious and cause permanent vision loss. Early diagnosis and treatment are therefore important to prevent complications.
Also, people with abnormalities in certain genes may be at higher risk of developing it. A recent study also found a significant association between the occurrence of uveitis and smoking.
Forms of uveitis
The uvea is the middle layer of tissue in the wall of the eye. It consists of:
- iris
- Ciliary body
- Choroid – This is located between the retina in the innermost layer of the eye wall and the dermis (sclera), the outermost white part of the eye wall.
The choroid ensures blood flow to the deep layers of the retina. The type of uveitis you have depends on which parts of your eye are inflamed:
- Iritis: affects the front part of the eye and is the most common type.
- Cyclitis: affects the ciliary body.
- Choroiditis and Retinitis: Affect the back of the eye.
- Diffuse uveitis: involves the inflammation of all layers of the uvea.
Any of these diseases can cause inflammation of the gelatinous substance in the middle of the eye, the vitreous humor. This can also be attacked by inflammatory cells.
In addition, uveitis is also classified according to the area of the choroid that it affects. In severe cases, it affects all layers.
Anterior uveitis
Uveitis occurs in the front of the eye. It starts suddenly and symptoms can last up to 8 weeks. Some variants of anterior uveitis are persistent, while others go away and then return.
Medium uveitis
The swelling of the uvea takes place near the middle part of the eye. Symptoms can last from a few weeks to many years. In addition, this variant can be cyclical and sometimes improve and then worsen again.
Posterior uveitis
The inflammation of the uvea is located near the back of the eye. In this case the symptoms can appear insidious and persist for many years.
Symptoms and Complications
Some of the signs, symptoms, and characteristics of uveitis include:
- Redness of the eyes
- Eye pain
- Photosensitivity
- Blurred vision
- Dark spots floating in the field of vision
- Decreased eyesight
Symptoms can be sudden or worsen quickly, but in some cases they can be insidious.
In addition to these symptoms, if left untreated, uveitis can lead to certain complications, such as the following:
- Green star (glaucoma)
- Cataracts
- Damage to the optic nerve
- Detachment of the retina
- Permanent loss of vision
causes
In about half of all cases, the specific cause of uveitis is unclear. In cases where the cause can be identified, it could be:
- Autoimmune diseases such as sarcoid or ankylosing spondylitis.
- Injuries or eye surgery.
- Inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
- An infection such as cat scratch disease, shingles, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, borreliosis or the West Nile virus.
- Cancer that affects the eyes, such as lymphoma.
Diagnosis and treatment
Because uveitis is often associated with other diseases or conditions, some diagnostic tests may be required. This may include a physical exam, blood or skin tests, an analysis of the eye fluid, and imaging tests.
As for treatment, it must be immediate to avoid long-term problems. Ophthalmologists often treat uveitis with medication in the form of anti-inflammatory eye drops. You can also use drops that dilate the pupil to reduce pain and swelling.
