Uveitis

Uveitis is known as the inflammation of the middle layer of the eye. It manifests suddenly with the complaints like eye redness, pain, impaired vision, light sensitivity and floaters. Although mostly encountered in the age range of 20-50 years, it may also occur during the childhood. While it may develop most of the time without an underlying reason, it may also be present secondary to the infections (toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, syphilis, etc.), autoimmune-inflammatory diseases (Behçet’s disease, sarcoidosis, ulcerative colitis, etc.), tumors (lymphoma, metastatic tumors) and eye damage (trauma, medicaments, eye surgery). Uveitis may separately affect the iris, ciliary body or retina-choroid layers of the eye or may as well affect the entire eye. Uveitis has the characteristic of usually presenting in the form of attacks. During the chronic phase, it may result in permanent visual impairment by causing cataract, glaucoma, retinal detachment and damage in the optic nerve and macula. For this reason, the early diagnosis and treatment are crucial. Especially, in case the elderly patients have been diagnosed with uveitis, the presence of the tumors like lymphoma, etc. should be excluded first.

The diagnosis for uveitis may include a through ophthalmologic examination followed by the anterior and posterior segment photography, ultrasonography and angiography. Optic coherence tomography provides guidance for diagnosis and treatment. The systemic blood analyses and skin test and the radiologic examinations (chest radiography, tomography, MRI) may provide information about the cause of the disease. When necessary, the diagnosis may be made by examining a sample of intraocular fluids.

The treatment is shaped according to the cause. The topical or systemic use of anti-inflammatory or anti-infective drugs, the use of immunosuppressive drugs and, where necessary, the intraocular injections and cataract-glaucoma-vitrectomy surgeries are employed for the treatment of this disease.

ASSOC. PROF. M. NECATİ DEMİR