Uveitis occurs when the middle layer of tissue in the eye wall, known as the uvea, becomes inflamed. The Uvea helps to provide nutrients to the eye, it consists of three parts from the front to the back of the eye, these are the ciliary body, the iris and the choroid. Uveitis can develop in one or both eyes, it can be serious and lead to permanent loss of vision, because of this it is very important to diagnose and seek treatment for Uveitis as quickly as possible to prevent damage from occurring. Uveitis may be caused by a number of factors, these include an eye injury or previous eye surgery, an autoimmune disease or an infection. Most cases of Uveitis improve with steroid medication, typically if Uveitis is present at the front of the eye, eye drops are prescribed to the patient, if Uveitis is present in the middle or at the back of the eye, infections and tablets are often used to treat the condition. In some cases, Uveitis can lead to further complications, such as Glaucoma or Cataracts if the condition is not identified early.
There are four types of Uveitis, each affecting different areas of the uvea, Anterior Uveitis affects the front of the eye, Intermediate Uveitis affects the middle of the eye, Posterior Uveitis affects the back of the eye and Pan Uveitis affects the entire eye. Symptoms of Uveitis may appear suddenly or gradually and include blurred or clouding of vision, eye pain (often described as a dull ache within or surrounding the affected eye) which is typically worse with focusing, small shapes known as floaters across vision, photophobia (sensitivity to light), redness of eye(s), decrease in vision and headaches.
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