Uveitis means there is inflammation inside your eye. This typically occurs when your immune system is fighting off an eye infection, but it could also be a result of your immune system misfiring and attacking healthy tissue within your eyes. Since Uveitis is rare, it is often misdiagnosed until severe complications (such as vision loss) occur.
The symptoms of Uveitis often come on early and include:
If left untreated, Uveitis can lead to vision loss because it causes damage to the uvea, but it can also impact other parts of the eye.
Anyone can get Uveitis, but it most commonly occurs in people between 20 and 60 years of age. Smoking cigarettes puts you at a higher risk of Uveitis.
Doctors can’t always tell what causes Uveitis, but known causes include autoimmune diseases like:
Uveitis can also be caused by an infection, like shingles, syphilis, or toxoplasmosis. Cancers that affect the eye, such as lymphoma, can also cause Uveitis.
Your eye doctor can check for Uveitis during a dilated eye exam, also known as pupil dilation. This exam is painless and uses special eye drops to open up your pupils so your doctor can get a better look inside your eye to check for Uveitis and other eye problems.
If you have symptoms of Uveitis, your doctor will ask about your medical history and may recommend getting tested for infections and diseases that could cause Uveitis.
Uveitis can affect one or both eyes. Treatment may include steroids to reduce inflammation, which can ease symptoms and prevent vision loss.
Steroid treatment for Uveitis can be prescribed in the form of eye drops, pills, injections, or implants, which are inserted into your eye to deliver small, regular doses over time. Steroids can have side effects, including increasing your risk for cataracts or glaucoma, so it’s important to get regular eye exams.
How your doctor decides to treat Uveitis will depend on which part of your eye is infected and whether or not you have other health conditions, like those impacting your immune system.
Do you have symptoms of Uveitis or other eye concerns? Scheduling routine exams with your eye doctor will help you protect your vision and ensure your long-term health and comfort.
Refractive surgery has revolutionized the field of ophthalmology, offering millions of individuals the opportunity to…
Eye Center South in Dothan is proud to announce the availability of iDose® TR (travoprost…
Dr. Marius Heersink will join the Dothan clinic medical staff this August. He recently completed…
ECS-Destin recently received the 2024 “Best of Destin” award for “Best Eye Care Clinic” for…
From soccer fields to tennis courts, sports offer endless opportunities for physical activity and competition,…
Are you seeing flashes of light or tiny specks drifting across your vision? These visual…