Uveitis is a serious inflammatory eye disease that affects the middle layer of the eye wall known as the uvea. The disease can appear suddenly and progress rapidly, causing redness, pain and blurred vision, and can affect one or both eyes.
The severity of the condition varies from person to person and can affect even children. The causes of uveitis vary from infection, injury, autoimmune disease, and sometimes the cause remains unknown. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to minimize serious complications that can lead to permanent vision loss.
What is Uveitis?
Uveitis refers to a group of inflammations affecting the middle vascular layer of the eye wall called the uvea, which is responsible for nourishing the eye and regulating the amount of light entering the eye. The uvea is made up of three main anatomical structures: the iris, ciliary body, and choroid.
The iris is the colored part that surrounds the pupil and acts like a camera shutter to regulate the amount of light entering the eye. The ciliary body, located behind the iris, contains muscles that control the shape of the eye’s lens to help it focus on near or far objects in what is known as visual accomidation. The choroid is a layer rich in blood vessels and pigment cells located between the retina and the sclera that provides the retina with oxygen and nutrients.
Inflammation of any of these structures can occur as a result of a bacterial or viral infection, direct injury, or an autoimmune disorder that causes the body to attack its own tissues, sometimes for no apparent reason. This inflammation is a condition that requires prompt medical intervention to avoid damage to the delicate tissue and permanent vision loss.
Types of Uveitis
Depending on the location of the inflammation in the eye, uveitis is divided into four main categories:
- Anterior uveitis: This is the most common type and is caused by inflammation of the iris or ciliary body. Symptoms include redness, pain, and sensitivity to light.
- intermediate uveitis: Affects the vitreous fluid or gelatinous substance inside the eye, sometimes known as vitritis. It leads to blurred vision or floaters in front of the eye.
- Posterior uveitis: It affects the posterior membranes of the eye, such as the choroid or retina, and may extend to the retinal blood vessels, a condition known as vasculitis.
- Systemic uveitis: This inflammation involves both the front and back of the eye and is a serious condition that can lead to significant vision loss if not treated quickly.
Symptoms of Uveitis
Symptoms of uveitis vary depending on the location and severity of the inflammation in the eye, and may appear suddenly or develop gradually over a period of weeks. The most common symptoms include
- Eye redness
- Blurred or foggy vision
- Pain or discomfort in the affected eye
- Progressive visual impairment or loss
- Extreme sensitivity to light (photophobia)
- Dark spots or floating objects in the field of vision (flying flies)
Symptoms are more pronounced in anterior uveitis, while intermediate or posterior uveitis may not be accompanied by any pain, and appear as floaters and blurred vision. Symptoms may last for weeks or months, sometimes appearing sporadically at intervals.
Causes of uveitis
The causes of uveitis are numerous and the exact cause can be difficult to determine in many cases. Nearly half of all cases are idiopathic, and the disease is often thought to have an autoimmune nature that causes the immune system to attack healthy eye tissue. The inflammation may be limited to just the eye or part of an inflammatory disorder affecting other parts of the body, known causes include:
- Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases: Sarcoidosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Behcet’s disease, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome, and TINU.
- Infections : These include toxoplasmosis, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, syphilis, tuberculosis, Lyme disease and cytomegalovirus, and may be transmitted directly to the eye or through the blood.
- Medications: In rare cases, the use of certain medications can lead to uveitis, such as pamidronate, rifabutin, sulfonamides, and cidofovir, as well as some immunotherapy or chemotherapy drugs.
- Tumors: In very rare cases, certain types of lymphomas or cancers in the eye can cause uveitis-like inflammation.
- Traumatic injuries: Such as direct eye injuries or complications following ocular surgeries.
- Studies also show that genetic factors may play a role in increasing susceptibility and that smoking makes inflammation more difficult to control and increases the likelihood of recurrence.
Diagnosis of Uveitis
Uveitis is diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam to determine the location and possible cause of the inflammation. Key diagnostic steps and procedures include the following:
- Taking a detailed medical history: The doctor gathers information about past general or immunologic illnesses, ocular injuries, or surgeries.
- Evaluate visual acuity and pupillary response to light: To assess how inflammation affects vision.
- Measure eye pressure: To check for elevated intraocular pressure.
- Slit lamp examination: The doctor uses this device to examine the front of the eye and identify inflammatory cells within the iris or ciliary body.
- Funduscopy: After dilating the pupil with special drops, the retina and choroid are examined to assess the extent of inflammation.
- Optical coherence tomography: Used to detect any swelling in the retina or choroid.
- Fluorescein or indocyanine green angiography: Shows leakage or inflammation in the vessels inside the eye.
- Laboratory tests: such as blood tests or vitreous or aqueous fluid analysis to identify infections or immune disorders.
- Additional imaging tests: A chest X-ray or MRI if a systemic disease such as sarcoidosis or Behcet’s disease is suspected.
In some cases, the exact cause is not known, but the doctor can control the inflammation with medication and regular follow-up to avoid complications such as cataracts, glaucoma, or macular edema.
Uveitis treatment
Uveitis treatment aims to reduce inflammation, prevent tissue damage inside the eye, and preserve vision. The type of treatment varies depending on the cause, severity, and location of the inflammation. If the inflammation is caused by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection, the patient is treated with antibiotics or antiviral or antiparasitic medications along with anti-inflammatory medications. If the inflammation is due to immunologic or non-infectious causes, it is treated with medication to control the swelling. Basic treatment options include the following:
- Corticosteroids: The first and most commonly used treatment, they are usually given as eye drops for anterior inflammation, or as tablets or injections in or around the eye for intermediate or posterior inflammation. In some chronic cases, intraocular implants are used that release corticosteroid slowly over a period of months.
- Pupil dilating drops: Used to relieve pain caused by contraction of the iris and ciliary body and prevent adhesions inside the eye, but may cause temporary blurred vision or sensitivity to light.
- Immunosuppressive medications: Added to treatment when the response to steroids is inadequate or when doses need to be reduced to avoid side effects, these include drugs such as methotrexate, azathioprine, cyclosporine, and sometimes biologics that target inflammatory reaction compounds such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists.
- Surgical treatment: A vitrectomy to remove inflammatory material inside the eye, or implantation of a device that gradually releases corticosteroids to treat chronic cases of posterior uveitis. Surgery may also be performed to treat complications such as cataracts or glaucoma after the inflammation is under control.
Some patients may require long-term treatment for months or years, and these treatments require careful monitoring to avoid side effects such as high eye pressure or cataracts. Healing time depends on the location and severity of the inflammation. Anterior uveitis usually heals more quickly than posterior or systemic types. If symptoms return, you should see your doctor immediately to re-evaluate the condition and adjust your treatment accordingly.
Complications of uveitis
Untreated or delayed diagnosis of uveitis can lead to serious vision-threatening complications. The most common complications include:
- High eye pressure (glaucoma) and resulting damage to the optic nerve
- Retinal swelling (macular edema) that causes blurred central vision
- Permanent vision loss if treatment is neglected or follow-up is delayed
- Retinal scarring and loss of part of the visual field
- Retinal detachment in advanced cases
- Cataracts
Glaucoma is usually treated with eye drops to lower eye pressure, while stubborn cases of cataracts or glaucoma may require surgical intervention after controlling the infection for several months. Adherence to treatment and regular follow-up with your eye doctor is the most important way to prevent these complications.
When to see a doctor
Any abnormal change in vision, such as persistent redness, pain, extreme sensitivity to light, or sudden blurred vision, should be seen by an ophthalmologist. Regular follow-up is also recommended for people with immune diseases or chronic infections as they are more likely to develop uveitis. Early detection and prompt treatment is the most important step to avoid serious complications that can lead to permanent vision loss.
Uveitis prevention
There is no specific way to completely prevent uveitis, but you can minimize the risk of developing or recurring attacks by taking care of your body and eye health. It is advisable to treat any bacterial or viral infections as soon as they occur, and keep chronic immune diseases such as arthritis or Behcet’s disease stabilized under the supervision of a doctor. It is also advisable to avoid smoking and prolonged exposure to UV rays, and wear protective sunglasses outdoors. Regular eye exams help detect inflammation in its early stages, minimizing complications and preserving vision.
In conclusion, uveitis is an eye disease that requires urgent medical intervention to avoid permanent damage to vision. Early diagnosis and regular treatment can help control the inflammation and prevent complications. Bimarestan Medical Center in Turkey offers the latest diagnostic and treatment techniques under the supervision of specialized ophthalmologists to ensure comprehensive care that preserves the patient’s vision and quality of life.
Sources:
- National Health Service. (n.d.). Uveitis. Retrieved October 24, 2025,
- National Eye Institute. (n.d.). Uveitis. Retrieved October 24, 2025,
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. (n.d.). Uveitis. Retrieved October 24, 2025,
