Uveitis is a term that refers to a group of inflammatory diseases that affect the middle part of the eye, called the uvea. The main symptom is swelling, but redness and pain may occur as well. When left untreated, uveitis can destroy eye tissue and lead to severe eye problems including blindness.
Opti-Care, a trusted expert in dry eye treatments and other optical services, shares more information about this eye disease below.
Causes
For approximately 50% of cases, the cause of uveitis is not clear. In such instances, the disorder may be considered an autoimmune disease that affects only the eye or eyes. The other 50% of cases are caused by the following:
- An infection, such as syphilis, a cat-scratch disease or tuberculosis
- Eye injury or surgery
- A medication side effect
- An autoimmune or inflammatory disorder that affects other parts of the body, such as Crohn’s disease or sarcoidosis
- A cancer that affects the eye, such as lymphoma
Symptoms
Symptoms of uveitis may occur suddenly and get worse either quickly or gradually. They may also affect one or both of your eyes. In some cases, no symptoms manifest. In many cases, signs of uveitis can only be detected during a routine eye exam.
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your eye doctor immediately:
- Eye pain
- Eye redness
- Dark, floating spots in your field of vision
- Blurred vision
- Decreased vision
- Light sensitivity
Complications
Do not ignore any symptoms. If left untreated, uveitis can worsen, leading to cataracts, glaucoma, retinal scarring and swelling and even optic nerve damage.
Opti-Care has been providing quality eye care since 1982. We offer contact lenses and corrective eyeglasses as well as a wide scope of optical services including cataract, glaucoma, LASIK and diabetic co-management. Call us at (410) 795-8670 or fill out our contact form to request an appointment. We serve customers in Westminster, MD.