OCULAR INFLAMMATION AND IMMUNOLOGY
What Is Ocular Inflammation And Immunology?
Ocular Inflammation is inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of your eye. The eye is shaped much like a tennis ball, with three different layers of tissue surrounding a central gel-filled cavity.
The innermost layer is the retina, which senses light and helps to send images to your brain. The middle layer between the sclera and retina is called the uvea. The outermost layer is the sclera, the strong white wall of the eye.
What Is The Importance Of The Uvea?
The uvea contains many blood vessels, the veins and arteries that carry blood flow to the eye. Since it nourishes many important parts of the eye (such as the retina), inflammation of the uvea can damage your sight.
Are there different types of ocular inflammation?
A simple way to classify types of ocular inflammation is according to the part of the eye that is affected into (see diagram) :
• Episcleritis /Scleritis
• Anterior uveitis (also known as iritis or iridocyclitis)
• Intermediate uveitis (including pars planitis)
• Posterior uveitis (including retinitis, choroiditis, chorioretinitis and neuroretinitis)
• Panuveitis (when the whole eye is inflamed from anterior to posterior aspect)
What causes Ocular Inflammation?
Ocular inflammation may be the result of a wide variety of causes, including infection and inflammatory disorders (see below). Some conditions may affect other parts of the body. In many cases however, despite thorough investigations, the cause remain unknown.
| Condition |
Symptoms |
Possible diagnosis |
Episcleritis
Scleritis
|
Redness, pain, Watering
|
Idiopathic episcleritis Anterior scleritis
(diffuse or nodular, with or without necrosis)
Posterior scleritis |
Anterior uveitis
Iritis
Iridocyclitis
|
Redness, pain,
Photophobia,
Watering,
Eye pressure may be raised;
Vision may or may not be
affected
|
Idiopathic Anterior Uveitis
HLA-B27 related uveitis
Herpetic keratouveitis
Posner Schlossman syndrome
Fuch’s Heterochromic iridocyclitis
Cytomegalovirus anterior uveitis
|
Intermediate
uveitis
Vitritis
Pars Planitis |
Floaters,
Blurred vision
|
Idiopathic intermediate uveitis
Underlying systemic disease
(Multiple sclerosis, sarcoidosis, syphilis,
Tuberculosis, Lyme disease) |
Posterior uveitis
Retinitis
Choroiditis
Chorioretinitis
Neuroretinitis
|
Blurred vision
|
Infective :
Toxoplasmosis
Viral retinitis (including acute retinal necrosis) :
Varicella zoster virus, herpes simplex virus,
cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus
Dengue-associated disease |
Retinal Vasculitis
|
Blurred vision, floaters
|
Eales Disease
Behcet’s disease
Sarcoidosis
Systemic lupus erythematosus,
polyarteritis nodosa
Wegener’s granulomatosis
Infective :
Tuberculosis, syphilis, viral, toxoplasmosis |
Panuveitis
(infective )
(Endophthalmitis)
|
All of above
|
Exogenous – from open wound
eg. Trauma,post-op
Endogenous – from internal source
through the blood stream eg. Hepatobiliary disease, Urinary tract infection |
Panuveitis
(non-infective)
|
All of above
|
Behcet’s Disease
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease
Sympathetic Ophthalmia
Sarcoidosis
Masquerade syndromes (tumour related) |
How Is Ocular Inflammation Diagnosed?
A careful eye examination by an ophthalmologist is extremely important when symptoms occur. Inflammation inside the eye can permanently affect sight or even lead to blindness, if it is not treated.
Your ophthalmologist will examine the inside of your eye. He or she may order blood tests, skin tests or X-rays to help make the diagnosis. Since uveitis can be associated with disease in the rest of the body, your ophthalmologist will want to know about your overall health. He or she may want to consult with your primary care physician or other medical specialists.
What kind of treatment are available for Ocular Inflammation?
Ocular Inflammation is a serious eye condition that may scar the eye. You need to have it treated as soon as possible. Eye drops, especially steroids and pupil dilators, can reduce inflammation and pain. For more severe inflammation, oral medication or injections may be necessary.
Uveitis can have these complications:
• Glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye)
• Cataract (clouding of the eye's natural lens)
• Neovascularization (growth of new, abnormal blood vessels)
These complications may develop in chronic severe inflammation. Specialist care is essential to ensure your condition is appropriately managed.
Please visit the following relevant links :-
Ocular Inflammation & Immunology Service
Ocular Inflammation & Immunology Clinical Staff
I Want an Eye Examination / an Appointment
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