- The uvea is the intermediate vascular coat of the eye which comprises the iris, ciliary body and choroid
- Uveitis implies an inflammation of the uveal tract
- Classified into anterior, intermediate and posterior uveitis depending on the portion of uvea involved
- Panuveitis implies involvement of the entire uveal tract
- Endophthalmitis implies inflammation involving all the structures inside the eye except the sclera(white of the eye)
- Panophthalmitis implies involvement of the entire eye ball
- Anterior uveitis is the most common followed by posterior, intermediate and panuveitis
Causes
- Idiopathic (without any reason) is the most common cause
- Inflammation of the joints (arthritis)
- Infections involving any part of the body (TB, caries tooth, sinusitis etc.)
- Sexually transmitted diseases (HIV, syphilis)
- Intravenous drug abuse
- Pet animals
- Long term use of certain medications
Symptoms
- Symptoms vary depending on the type and severity of the disease
- Most common symptoms include redness, blurred vision, pain, photophobia (glare), watering and floaters
Management
- Blood investigations are done to look for any cause
- Treatment include eye drops, injections in the eye and oral tablets depending on the type and severity of the disease
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