faq_category: UVEA

Yes, an optometrist can recognize the clinical picture of uveitis but he may not be able to make an etiological diagnosis.  

Uveitis may be unilateral or bilateral depending on the cause. Some uveitic entities are characteristically unilateral like HLA B27 related uveitis or Fuch’s uveitis.

Hypertensive uveitis is when the intraocular pressure rises due to inflammation in the eye and can lead to optic nerve damage or glaucoma. Adequate control of inflammation can reverse the raised intraocular pressure to normal. However, if the optic nerve is damaged, the reduction of intraocular pressure will only help to stop the progression of…

The role of genetics cannot be denied in the causation of uveitis. It’s role might especially be important in autoimmune or non-infectious uveitis.

Yes, uveitis can cause vision loss if there is a delay in treatment when treatment is inadequate to control inflammation, recalcitrant cases and mostly due to complications of uveitis like permanent damage to an optic nerve or macular scar (scar in the center of the eye).

Autoimmune disease is a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy cells. Common autoimmune diseases causing uveitis are HLA B27 related spondyloarthropathy, Behcet’s disease, sarcoidosis, connective tissue diseases, SLE, Crohn’s disease, etc.

Uveitis can cause increased eye pressure when swollen debris blocks the trabecular meshwork causing low fluid outflow from the eye, further resulting into glaucoma. This can be prevented by adequate control of inflammation by the doctor. Less commonly, steroids used for the treatment of uveitis can lead to glaucoma in susceptible patients (steroid responders).

No uveitis is not contagious.

Most common causes of uveitis depend on the age, gender, geographical location and immune status of the patient. Most common causes include HLA B-27 related spondyloarthropathy, toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, etc.

Complete cure of uveitis is not an impossible task provided the goal of emergency therapy is achieved on time. Infectious uveitis can be cured with appropriate antibiotic therapy. In autoimmune or non-infectious uveitis, the treatment can suppress the inflammation until and unless it is healed by your body’s healing process depending on how long the…