Uveitis is an inflammation of the eyes. It affects the eye's middle layer of tissue. Uveitis symptoms can appear unexpectedly and worsen fast. Eye inflammation, discomfort, and impaired vision are among them. The illness can impair one or both eyes, and people of all ages, including kids, can be affected. Infection, damage, or an immune or chronic illness is all possible causes of uveitis. In most of the cases, no reason can be found. Uveitis is a dangerous condition that can result in irreversible visual loss. To avoid complications getting a diagnosis and management plan is important. 

The type of uveitis you have is determined by which area of your eye is affected.

Anterior Uveitis

The ciliary body and the interior of the front of your eye are affected by anterior uveitis. The most common kind of uveitis is iritis.

Intermediate Uveitis.

The retina and blood vessels right below the lens and the fluid in the center of the eye are affected by intermediate uveitis.

Posterior Uveitis

The layers on the interior of the posterior of your eye that is affected by posterior uveitis are the retina and the choroid.

Panuveitis

Panuveitis is a condition in which all segments of the uvea, from the front to the posterior, become affected.

·         Pulmonary sarcoidosis, seronegative arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and inflammatory bowel disease are examples of autoimmune or inflammatory disorders that affect other body regions.

·         Cat scratch disease, herpes infection, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, or TB are examples of infections.

·         Adverse effects of certain medications

·         Eye operation or damage to the eye

·         Eye malignancy (lymphoma)

·         Uveitis may be more common in those who have mutations in particular genes.

·         Tobacco smoking has also been linked to uveitis which is more difficult to manage.

Uveitis can affect people of all ages. Many studies have previously shown that the professional age groups (20–50 years) had a significant occurrence of uveitis. It has been discovered that the prevalence of non-infectious uveitis rises with aging. Uveitis affects an estimated 109,000 individuals in the United States, with 43,000 new cases identified each year. The condition is predicted to affect 2,359,242 people globally.

Uveitis has a wide range of signs and symptoms. They usually happen all of a sudden, although they can also develop over time. Symptoms to look out for include:

·         Floaters are dots in the eye that appear to be small rods or chains of clear bubbles that float around in the range of vision.

·         Redness and discomfort in the eyes

·         Headaches 

·         Blurring of vision

·         Foggy vision

·         Photophobia due to abnormal light sensitivity.

·         Uveitis can result in a visual loss if left untreated.

Vision Assessment: Examination of eyesight (with or without glasses, if you usually wear them) and pupil reaction to light.

Tonometry: The pressure within your eye is measured using a tonometry examination. This pressure is known as intraocular pressure. Your doctor will put some numbing drops in your eyes before checking the pressure.

Slit-lamp Examination: This technique uses a special microscope called a slit lamp, which is used to examine the interior of the eye.

A dilated eye exam: Your doctor may dilate your pupils to see the interior of your eye by using a special lens device.

Blood tests: Blood tests are used to exclude infections or systemic autoimmune conditions.

The best way to treat uveitis is to figure out what's triggering it and which part of the eye is affected. Although medicine is the most common therapy, surgery may be required in rare situations with severe uveitis.

Medications

Oral steroids: The majority of uveitis cases may be managed with steroid medication. Prednisolone is the most commonly given. Steroids reduce inflammation by attacking the immune system. The steroid treatment used will typically depend on the parts of your eye that are impacted by uveitis.

Steroidal eye drops: When uveitis involves the front of the eye and isn't caused by an infection, steroid eye drops are typically the initial therapy.

Injectable steroid: If steroid eye drops haven't helped and the center or backside of your eye is damaged, you may require steroid injections. Eye drops containing local anesthetics are used to relax your eyes so that you don't feel any pain or discomfort. Most people only need a single shot of steroids for their symptoms.

Adverse effects of steroids: Steroid injections seldom have serious adverse effects, but they might cause increased ocular pressure in some individuals. Weight gain, increased hunger, sleeplessness, and mood changes are some of the short-term adverse effects of steroids.They can lead to osteoporosis, skin fragility, and a higher risk of infection in the long run. You'll be given the smallest amount necessary to control your symptoms to reduce the risk of adverse effects.

Medications to treat infections: If an underlying infection causes uveitis, it may also need to be addressed. To treat viral infections, Antiviral medicines would be used. For fungal infections, Antifungal medications would be used. Bacterial eye infections can be managed with antibiotics.

Procedure

Vitrectomy: Uveitis may require a vitrectomy, which is a surgical procedure. It's typically only indicated if you have persistent or severe uveitis and infection triggers it. The jelly-like fluid that fills the interior of the eye is gently suctioned out during a vitrectomy. During the surgery, the fluid will be gradually replaced with either a puff of air or gas or a liquid alternative.

Uveitis might go away fast, but it can also return. It can take a course of a chronic illness. Most people with uveitis who receive timely treatment have little, if any, chronic visual impairment. Treatments can halt the advancement of the disease and recover the eyesight that has been lost. Severe cases may need long-term care. Severe illness increases the risk of loss of vision or blindness.

• A daily multivitamin, including anti-oxidant elements A, C, E, B vitamins, and trace minerals like potassium, calcium, zinc, and selenium, is recommended. These minerals and vitamins are beneficial to both ocular and general health. According to some modest research, vitamins C and E may help lessen the pain of anterior uveitis.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet containing fresh fruits and vegetables. These are all high in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties. In the meantime, patients should avoid processed meals and excessive salt, fats, butter, sweets, and animal protein intake.
• Uveitis can be avoided by seeking correct therapy for an autoimmune condition and treating the infection. Because the etiology of uveitis for otherwise healthy people is unknown, it is difficult to avoid.
• Early identification and treatment are critical to reducing the risk of irreversible visual loss.

Our clinical experts continually monitor the health and medical content posted on CURA4U, and we update our blogs and articles when new information becomes available. Last reviewed by Dr.Saad Zia on May 09, 2023.

References

https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/uveitis#:~:text=What%20is%20uveitis%3F,healthy%20tissue%20in%20your%20eyes.

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-uveitis