Iritis
Iritis
is the inflammation of the iris and sometimes the ciliary body as well.
This usually occurs in only one eye.
If treated correctly and sufficiently
early, iritis does not result in permanent damage.
In many
cases, the cause of iritis is unknown
What is
iritis?
Iritis is the inflammation of the iris (the ring of coloured tissue
surrounding the pupil of the eye).
Iritis
is the most common form of a family of conditions called uveitis. The uvea
extends from the front to the back of the eye and comprises the iris, the
ciliary body which is next to the iris and the choroid body which is at the back
of the eye surface.
Anterior
uveitis predominantly involves the iris, but the ciliary body can be involved as
well. In this case it is called iridocyclitis.
What
causes iritis?
Certain medical conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative
colitis, Crohn's disease and sarcoidosis are associated with iritis.
It can
also result from an infection in another part of the body (such as shingles,
chickenpox or the cold sore virus) that spreads to the eye.
Injury
to the eye and eye surgery may also bring on an attack of iritis.
In many
cases, the cause of iritis is unknown.
Symptoms
and signs of iritis
Symptoms of iritis include:
Eye
pain
Sensitivity to light
Redness of the eye
Watering
of the eye
Blurred
vision
Floating spots in the field of vision
A smaller pupil in the affected eye
(occasionally)
Generally, the eye is not sticky or crusty. These symptoms are more suggestive
of conjunctivitis.
How is
iritis diagnosed?
An ophthalmologist will use an instrument called a slit lamp to
examine the inside of the eye and can usually make the diagnosis on the basis of
this examination.
Since
iritis may be associated with disease elsewhere in the body, the ophthalmologist
will require a thorough understanding of your overall health. This may involve
consultation with other medical specialists.
The
ophthalmologist may also request blood tests, X-rays and other specialised tests
to establish the cause of iritis.
How is
iritis treated?
Eye drops (especially steroids such as prednisolone or dexamethasone)
and pupil dilators are medications used to reduce inflammation and pain in the
front of the eye.
The
steroid drops may need to be instilled frequently (in severe cases, as often as
every half hour). Your ophthalmologist will arrange to see you again to assess
the progress of the treatment and will, according to the degree of inflammation,
decrease or increase the treatment at this stage.
Pupil-dilating drops (such as cyclopentolate or atropine) make you feel more
comfortable and prevent certain complications of iritis. However, you may become
more sensitive to bright light, lose the ability to focus on near objects and
your vision may become more blurred.
What is
the outcome of iritis?
Uveitis arising in the front or the middle of the eye (iritis or
iridocyclitis) is usually more sudden in onset and generally lasts six to eight
weeks. In early stages, it can usually be controlled by the frequent use of
drops.
Uveitis
in the back part of the eye (choroiditis) is usually slower in onset, may last
longer and is often more difficult to treat. When uveitis is due to an infection
in another part of your body, it tends to clear up once the underlying infection
is treated.
In most
cases, complications are rare but they include: glaucoma (high pressure in the
eye causing damage), cataracts (clouding of the lens of the eye) and
neovascularisation (new blood vessel formation).
If left
untreated, inflammation in the eye can lead to permanent damage and even vision
loss.
When to
call the doctor
If you have been experiencing severe eye pain, blurred vision,
sensitivity to light and watering of the eye, or if you notice that one pupil is
smaller than the other, you should call your doctor.
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