Uveitis

Inner eye inflammation, from infection or autoimmunity

Overview

Uveitis is inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented middle layer of the eye made up of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid, and it can also involve the retina and vitreous. It is classified by location as anterior uveitis, or iritis, intermediate uveitis, posterior uveitis, or panuveitis. Anterior uveitis typically causes a painful red eye, light sensitivity, and blurred vision, while intermediate and posterior forms more often cause floaters and reduced vision with less pain. Causes include autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, among them HLA B27 associated spondyloarthritis, sarcoidosis, Behcet disease, and Vogt Koyanagi Harada disease, and infections such as toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, syphilis, and herpes viruses, although many cases are idiopathic. Treatment typically involves corticosteroids given as drops, injections, or systemically, with immunosuppressive and biologic drugs used for chronic disease. Complications include cataract, glaucoma, and macular edema, and uveitis is an important cause of preventable vision loss.