It May Be More than Inflammation — Uveitis
When our eyes become red, we can discount the issue. Maybe we didn’t get enough sleep the night before. Maybe it was a windy, dusty day in Stockton or Modesto.
Or, maybe it’s uveitis. If so, we need to see you at Central Valley.
What is uveitis?
Uveitis is a form of eye inflammation. It affects the middle layer of the tissue in the eye wall, the uvea. Unfortunately, the warning signs of uveitis often come on suddenly and worsen quickly.
Uveitis can be serious, leading to permanent vision loss. But early diagnosis and treatment from the experienced team at Central Valley Eye Medical can prevent complications and protect your vision.
What are the symptoms of uveitis?
Signs and symptoms can occur quickly or in some cases they develop gradually. They may affect one or both eyes. Less commonly, a person doesn’t have symptoms, but their uveitis shows up in our routine eye exams. Uveitis may include these symptoms:
- Eye redness
- Eye pain
- Light sensitivity
- Blurred vision
- New floaters
- Decreased vision
What causes uveitis?
In about half the cases of uveitis, a specific cause can’t be pinpointed. But in the other half, these are the usual causes:
- Eye injury
- Eye surgery
- Autoimmune disorder, such as ankylosing spondylitis
- Inflammatory disorder, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- Infection, such as Lyme disease, herpes zoster, West Nile virus, etc.
- Cancer that affects the eye, such as lymphoma
Can you prevent uveitis?
There isn’t any particular method or behavior that can prevent uveitis. Of course, this is completely the case in the roughly 50 percent of people where the cause cannot be pinpointed. Seeking proper treatment for an autoimmune disease or infection is the best method for preventing uveitis. Smoking is thought to play a role, as well.
What’s most important is to keep your regular eye exams with our team at Central Valley Eye Medical, as early detection and treatment are important to reduce your risk of vision loss. To schedule your appointment, please call us at (800) 244-9907.
Posted in: Uveitis
