Uveal Diseases
The human eye is composed of three layers of which, Uvea is the middle one. It is one of the complex structures in the eye that’s critical to proper vision. This layer has many blood vessels that nourish the eye. The disease affecting the Uvea is called Uveits.
Uveitis occurs when the middle layer of the eyeball gets inflamed (red and swollen). Uveitis can damage vital eye tissue, leading to permanent vision loss.
There are 3 types of uveitis. They are based on which part of the uvea is affected.
- Swelling of the uvea near the front of the eye is called anterior uveitis.
- Swelling of the uvea in the middle of the eye is called intermediate uveitis.
- Swelling of the uvea toward the back of the eye is called posterior uveitis.
In severe cases, all layers may be involved.
Causes of Uveitis
- Infections such as shingles virus, herpes simplex virus, syphilis, Lyme disease, and parasites such as toxoplasmosis.
- A systemic inflammatory disease such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
- An eye injury
Smoking (cigarettes, cigars or pipes) also increases your risk of getting uveitis.
Symptoms
Uveitis can develop suddenly. Symptoms can include:
- having a red eye with or without pain
- being very sensitive to bright light
- having blurry vision
- seeing “floaters” (specks or moving clouds in your vision) all of a sudden
Uveitis is often treated with eye-drop medicine that reduces inflammation (corticosteroids). Sometimes an eye drop is given to widen (dilate) the pupil, which helps reduce pain and swelling. Occasionally, medicine may need to be given by injection (shots) or taken by mouth.