DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am having yet another bout of iritis, with accompanying pain and sensitivity to light. This always seems to happen when I am away from home and cannot see my own doctor. I have been treated with steroid eye drops in the past but wonder if there is anything you can recommend instead.
DEAR READER:
Uveitis is inflammation and swelling of the uvea, the layer of the eye between the retina and sclera. One of the most common forms is anterior uveitis that involves the front portion of the eye and is limited to the iris. Thus, the name iritis.
Most attacks are mild, symptoms last from a few days to several weeks with treatment and the bouts are prone to recurrence.
Common symptoms are pain, swelling, tearing, and photophobia (light sensitivity). Severe cases can also include blurred vision. The condition can affect one or both eyes and is most common in young and middle-aged individuals. On examination the pupil will be constricted, the iris will bulge and the eye will appear cloudy.
Steroid eye drops or ointments are often used to treat the inflammation. Severe cases that recur regularly are best handled by a thorough search for the underlying cause. Without this information, I cannot specifically answer which treatment is best for you.
There are several other forms of uveitis that appear to be associated with Crohn’s disease, systemic infection, toxoplasmosis, trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disorders, and more.
Return to your physician who can take a complete history and determine if the steroid drops are appropriate. Should you be suffering from an infection, treatment might include an antibiotic. Finding the underlying cause is the best approach.
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