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Uveitis and its symptoms

Uveitis is eye inflammation caused when your immune system attacks healthy tissue in your eye. It can cause pain, redness and vision loss. Sometimes it goes away quickly, but chronic cases exist as well.v

Uveitis arises when the middle section of your eye swells up for a short or long period of time. This condition has a multitude of potential causes, all of which show similar signs and symptoms, such as:

  • Minor to severe eye pain
  • Light sensitivity
  • Redness in and around your eye
  • Blurry vision and difficulty seeing
  • Floating spots in your vision

You might notice the swelling occur in one eye or both, depending on the underlying cause.

Uveitis and its symptoms

Uveitis is eye inflammation caused when your immune system attacks healthy tissue in your eye. It can cause pain, redness and vision loss. Sometimes it goes away quickly, but chronic cases exist as well.v

Uveitis arises when the middle section of your eye swells up for a short or long period of time. This condition has a multitude of potential causes, all of which show similar signs and symptoms, such as:

  • Minor to severe eye pain
  • Light sensitivity
  • Redness in and around your eye
  • Blurry vision and difficulty seeing
  • Floating spots in your vision

You might notice the swelling occur in one eye or both, depending on the underlying cause.

Fellowship-Trained Experts

ICON Eyecare’s Dr. Eva Kim is a fellowship-trained uveitis specialist.

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Dr. Eva Kim Uveitis Expert

Common Uveitis Causes

Uveitis often arises due to direct trauma to the eye, such as getting hit by a ball. When that happens, the injured area could swell up, including the tissues inside the middle of your eye. Other common causes include tumors in or around the eye, infections, and exposure to toxins. Autoimmune disease and other infectious causes also cause uveitis. Certain medical conditions can cause uvea inflammation as well, including:

  • AIDS
  • Kawasaki disease
  • Psoriasis
  • Toxoplasmosis
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Ulcerative colitis

Patients can experience acute or chronic uveitis and the condition can even cause blindness without care. If you are experiencing any swelling in your eye, reach out to your eye doctor right away to track down the cause. They will help relieve your pain and protect your eyesight using the most effective treatments available today. To receive the care you need, give our team at ICON Eyecare a call. We look forward to helping you see clearly and comfortably through the years.

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Uveitis Treatments

At your visit to the eye doctor, they will use a number of tests to check visual acuity, intraocular pressure levels, and check for swelling and determine its cause. They will also pinpoint the exact location of the swelling, as it can affect the anterior, intermediate, or posterior sections, if not all three. With that info, they can find the appropriate treatment.

Common treatments include:

  • Anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Immunosuppressive medication
  • Corticosteroid eye drops or topical corticosteroid

Your eye doctor may also need to dilate your pupils to reduce the swelling and lower your pain levels. You will likely need to return for rechecks on a regular basis until the problem fully resolves.