Definition:
Uveitis specifically refers to inflammation of the uvea or the middle layer of the eye. The term uvea however may also refer to any inflammatory process involving the interior of the eye. The disease is estimated to be responsible for approximately 10% of blindness in the United States.
Diagnosis:
A complete medical history and eye examination should be performed when diagnosing Uveitis. A physical examination and laboratory tests may be needed if an associated systemic disease is suspected.
Treatment:
Typically, Uveitis is treated with glucocorticoid steroids either as topical eyedrops or oral therapy. Topical cycloplegics such as atropine or homatropine may also be used. Methotrexate as well as other antimetabolic medications meanwhile is often used for recalcitrant or more aggressive cases. It may also be helpful to have an experimental treatment with Infliximab infusions.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms of Uveitis include redness of the eye, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, dark floating spots along the visual field, and eye pain.
Causes:
Countless conditions can lead to the development of uveitis. Among those are systemic diseases as well as syndromes confined to the eye. Unlike Uveitis, Anterior uveitis has no specific diagnosis. Anterior uveitis however is often one of the syndromes associated with HLA-B27.
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