Uveitis: Inflammation of the eye

Uveitis is a known condition of the eye. It is an inflammation of the eye and it is the middle layers of the eye that are inflamed when a person is suffering from this condition. The middle layers of the eye are also known as the uveal tract or uvea. Choroid, iris and ciliary body are all parts of the uvea. Iris is the colored part of the eye. A membrane not that thick containing lots of blood vessels is called choroid and the ciliary body is the part of the eye where these two parts are joined together. Why is uveitis dangerous?

Keeping the uvea safe is very important due to various reasons. The main reason is because its many veins and arteries are transporting blood to the other parts of the eye. When a person is suffering from uveitis, he or she will be able to notice a number of signs and symptoms. Some of the most commonly seen symptoms of uveitis are the irritation and redness of the affected eye, blurred vision, hurting of the eye, more than ordinary sensitivity to the light and a sensation of floating spots before the eyes. According to the experts, uveitis is a condition which is known to develop extremely fast and that is why a person needs to go to the eye doctor if he or she experiences any of the symptoms. Ophthalmologist is the only one who can make a proper diagnosis. Those who experience severe pain and redness that does not go away quickly should seek immediate medical help. It is important that the condition is treated because there are a lot of complications which may occur if it is not. Permanent damage to the vision is only one of them. Causes of uveitisThis condition is caused by various reasons. Uveitis can occur due to an infection with a virus, fungus, bacteria or parasite, an injury to the eye and due to some other inflammatory disease which has infected other parts of the body. It is important to know that the eye care practitioners do not have an easy task when identifying the actual cause of uveitis is considered. It is not uncommon that the cause remains unknown. Some of the most commonly seen causes of uveitis are brucellosis, herpes simplex, ankylosing spondylitis, Behcet’s diseases, inflammatory bowel syndrome, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Kawasaki’s disease, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriatic disease, sarciodosis, syphilis and many others. Methods of treatment

First of all, it is important to know that the experts have come up with four main types of uveitis. Of all the types, iritis is the most commonly seen. This type affects the iris and in most cases is connected with autoimmune disorder like rheumatoid arthritis for instance. In a majority of cases iritis develops all of a sudden and lasts for eight weeks. The inflammation of the middle portion of the eye is called cyclitis. This type of uveitis is known to last for several months even with the treatment. Retinitis is known to cause damage to the back of the eye. This type is not an easy one to treat due to fact that it progresses extremely fast. The fourth type is called chorioditis and it is an inflammation of the layer located beneath the retina. Infections such as tuberculosis are usually the cause. Even though it is really hard for the actual cause of this type of uveitis to be identified, the experts believe that it is almost always connected with stress. Due to the fact that uveitis is a condition which progresses extremely fast it is important for a person who is suffering from it to receive proper treatment as soon as it occurs. Eye drops which contain steroids are mainly prescribed for those who suffer from uveitis due to an infection. Steroids are important because they reduce swelling. In addition to eye drops, the ophthalmologist will prescribe certain drugs in order for the pain to be relieved. In cases where the uveitis is infectious, certain antibiotics are prescribed. A lot of eye care practitioners will advise people who are diagnosed with this condition to wear dark glasses due to the fact that they are of extreme help when light sensitivity is considered. There are a lot of complications which may occur in cases when the condition is not treated immediately. Some of the most commonly complications which may occur include glaucoma, cataracts, abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye which may lead to problems with vision, fluid within the retina and loss of vision. Vision loss can be permanent and it is considered to be the most severe complication of the condition. These are all the causes why early diagnosis and treatment is crucial.