OCULAR INFLAMMATION (UVEITIS) TREATMENT

What is Ocular Inflammation?

Ocular inflammation is an increase in inflammatory cells in the eye, in tissues they should not normally be in. This can affect the front of the eye, the back of the eye, or the whole eye. Ocular inflammation is also called Uveitis.

Causes of Ocular Inflammation

There are many causes and often a specific cause is not found. These include infections, systemic inflammatory conditions, or inflammation restricted to the eye. A partial list is below:

AIDS
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Behcet's disease
CMV retinitis
Kawasaki Disease
Multiple sclerosis
Psoriasis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sarcoidosis
Syphilis
Ulcerative colitis

What is Ocular Inflammation Treatment?

Ocular Inflammation can be treated in a number of ways. This in part is determined by the cause and also may relate to the success of previous treatments.

Treatments can include:

Steroid eye drops
High Dose Oral Corticosteroids
Laser Treatment
Anti-VEGF injections into the eye

In some cases, the doctor may recommend surgical removal of eye vitreous (gel-like material) and debris from the eye to improve vision.(Vitrectomy surgery)

Tests & Examination for Ocular Inflammation Treatment

These are based on your signs and symptoms and include:

A complete eye examination,
blood and eye fluid analysis,
specialised photography to evaluate retinal blood flow and
OCT scanning to determine the presence or absence of fluid within the eye.

Symptoms of Ocular Inflammation

Generally, symptoms include

Eye redness,
Eye Pain
Blurry vision
and Sensitivity to light
Floaters, those tiny dots or specks in your vision

What are Side Effects of Ocular Inflammation Treatment?

Long-term steroid use may produce side effects such as cataracts, glaucoma, stomach ulcers, osteoporosis (bone thinning), diabetes, cardiovascular disease, weight gain, insomnia, mood changes, fluid retention, and Cushing’s syndrome.