What are the causes, symptoms and treatment of Uveitis?

It is a group of inflammatory diseases that produces swelling and destroys eye tissues

It produces swelling, redness, heat, and destroys tissues as certain white blood cells rush to the affected part of the body to contain or eliminate the insult
The term “uveitis” is used because the diseases often affect a part of the eye called the uvea. Nevertheless, it is not limited to the uvea
It also affects the lens, retina, optic nerve, and vitreous, producing reduced vision and blindness
The uvea is the middle layer of the eye which contains much of the eye’s blood vessels
This is one way that inflammatory cells can enter the eye. Located between the sclera, the eye’s white outer coat, and the inner layer of the eye, called the retina, the uvea consists of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid

Types of Uveitis

It occurs in the front of the eye
It is the most common form of uveitis, mostly occurring in young and middle-aged people
Many cases occur in healthy people and may only affect one eye but some are associated with rheumatologic, skin, gastrointestinal, lung and infectious diseases

Intermediate uveitis is commonly seen in young adults
The center of the inflammation often appears in the vitreous
It is also linked to several disorders including, sarcoidosis and multiple sclerosis

Posterior uveitis is the least common form of uveitis
It primarily occurs in the back of the eye, often involving both the retina and the choroid
There are many infectious and non-infectious causes to posterior uveitis

It is a term used when all three major parts of the eye are affected by inflammation
Behcet’s disease is one of the most well-known forms of pan-uveitis and it damages the retina
Intermediate, posterior, and pan-uveitis are the most severe and highly recurrent forms of uveitis
They often cause blindness if left untreated

Uveitis may be caused by:

An attack from the body’s own immune system (autoimmunity)
Infections or tumors occurring within the eye or in other parts of the body
Bruises to the eye
Toxins that may penetrate the eye
The disease will cause symptoms, such as decreased vision, pain, light sensitivity, and increased floaters. In many cases the cause is unknown

Uveitis can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may develop rapidly and can include:

Uveitis treatments primarily try to eliminate inflammation, alleviate pain, prevent further tissue damage, and restore any loss of vision
Treatments depend on the type of uveitis a patient displays
The use of corticosteroid eye drops and injections around the eye or inside the eye, may exclusively target the eye whereas other treatments, such immunosuppressive agents taken by mouth, may be used when the disease is occurring in both eyes, particularly in the back of both eyes