Uveitis
Uveitis is an often chronic condition that involves inflammation of the uvea. The uvea is the middle layer of the eye, which contains the iris, ciliary body and choroid and is located between the retina and sclera (white of the eye). This condition is most common in patients between the ages of 20 and 50 years old, and may be caused by a viral, fungal or bacterial infection. In many cases of uveitis, the cause is unknown.
There are three different types of uveitis, classified by the area of the uvea that is affects:
- Anterior uveitis - inflammation of just the iris or the iris and ciliary body
- Intermediate uveitis - inflammation of the ciliary body
- Posterior uveitis - inflammation of the choroid
Patients with anterior uveitis, the most common type, are often only affected in one eye, and may experience mild to strong pain, redness, light sensitivity and blurred vision. Intermediate and posterior uveitis are usually painless and may cause blurred vision and floaters in both eyes.
Treatment
Most cases of uveitis are treated through steroids in the form of eye drops, pills or injections to reduce inflammation in the eye. A new, FDA-approved treatment called Retisert may be used to treat chronic posterior uveitis by placing a drug implant in the eye that delivers medication to the eye as needed for over two years. The type and cause of your condition will be used to determine the best treatment option for your individual case. Click here for clinical trials page »
Additional Resources
Inflammatory Eye Diseases
Ozurdex
OZURDEX® is a biodegradable implant containing the corticosteroid dexamethasone. Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone, block chemical pathways that lead to inflammation, leakage from the retinal blood vessels, and edema (swelling) of the retina. OZURDEX® may help reverse some vision loss that may be caused by a retinal vein occlusion (RVO) or by noninfectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye.
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