Uveitis - symptoms. Uveitis - symptoms, treatment

The vascular membrane of the eye in medicine is called the uveal tract. It includes the iris, the ciliary (ciliated) body and the choroid located behind it.

Inflammation of the uveal tract can manifest itself in the form of different in the localization and features of the course of diseases. But all these pathological conditions are collectively called "uveitis".

Symptoms and methods of treating inflammation will be discussed in this article.

Symptoms of uveitis

In childhood, uveitis most often do not have severe symptoms, children do not complain of pain or discomfort, while the inflammatory process sometimes affects all parts of the choroid. In adults, however, the picture is usually brighter. True, not the least role here is played by exactly where the focus of inflammation is.

The disease begins unexpectedly, without any preliminary signs. In the eye there is a bursting pain and simultaneously with it and other symptoms:

• The eyeball turns red;
• Vision deteriorates ;
• There are spots that float before your eyes;
• Sensitivity to light increases;
• There is soreness around the eyes;
• Eyelids become swollen (especially the upper ones);
• Lacrimation.

The cardinal sign of the emerging pathology, as a rule, is the narrowing of the pupil, the streakiness of the iris pattern and the change in its color (the blue iris can become dirty-green, and the brown eyes acquire a rusty shade).

Frequent and detectable onset of uveitis symptoms in the form of characteristic headaches. They, arising in the eyeball, spread quite quickly to half the head, and sometimes are given in the ear or even teeth. Typically, this pain is described as acute, drilling or shooting.

Than the uveitis is dangerous

Uveitis, the symptoms of which may initially not cause particular alertness, in medicine is considered to be a dangerous pathology. It gives rise to multiple complications, which worsen the quality of sight, up to its complete loss.

Uveitis provoke an increase in intraocular pressure, which, among other things, can give impetus to the development of glaucoma. Often complications of uveitis are retinal infarctions and its detachment, as well as cataracts, edema of the optic nerve, vasculitis with occlusion (sudden obstruction) of the vessels or the infiltration of the pupil.

How do uveits differ?

Depending on the duration of the disease, distinguish between acute and chronic uveitis (if the disease lasts more than six weeks). By the way, about half of those who were diagnosed with this diagnosis have a risk of recurrence of pathology. Therefore, patients who have undergone an acute form of the disease should be observed with an ophthalmologist.

Depending on where the focus of inflammation is located in the organs of vision, ophthalmologists diagnose various types of inflammation. So, for example, if the iris is affected , then the face irrites, if the ciliated body, then talk about the cyclite. Peripheral uveitis is an inflammation of the flat part of the ciliated body, and the defeat of the choroid is called "choroditsite."

But in medical practice cases of pathologies of several tissues are frequent, for example ciliary body and iris (then it is a question of iridotsiklite) or retina and choroid (chorioretinitis). Complete inflammation of the eye is diagnosed as a panoveitis.

What is anterior and posterior uveitis, as they manifest themselves

An anatomical principle distinguishes between anterior and posterior uveitis.

• The iris and the ciliary body are involved in the anterior (by the way, this inflammation localization occurs most often).
• And the posterior uveitis proceeds with the involvement of the retina, the choroid and the optic nerve.

Anterior uveitis, as a rule, is manifested by photophobia, increased lacrimation, reddening of the eye, sometimes with a violet hue, and decreased vision. If the patient has to check it with the help of positive or negative glasses, it turns out that the visual acuity does not improve. Light palpation of the eyeball can reveal its soreness.

Diagnosis of posterior uveitis can be rather difficult. Most often, a suspicion of the presence of this type of inflammation appears as a result of a violation of the patient's visual functions: reduced visual acuity or visual field defects. More precisely, ophthalmoscopic and biomicroscopic studies of the fundus can help to diagnose this pathology.

Uveitis: causes of pathology

Inflammation of the choroid of the eye can be caused by a large number of different causes:

• Trauma (especially in childhood);
• Allergic reactions;
• Systemic pathologies: syphilis, herpes virus, tuberculosis, Reiter's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, histoplasmosis, toxoplasmosis, Bekhterev's disease , etc.

By the way, in the case of toxoplasmosis, cases of transmission of the disease from a pregnant woman to a fetus are noted.

How are uveitis diagnosed. Treatment of the disease

With uveitis, complications are especially dangerous. Therefore, in order not to admit them, it is important to remember that when there is even a slight reddening of the eye, which lasts for several days, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist. It is very important to pay attention to signs indicating uveitis in time!

Treatment of pathology will be more successful in the early detection of the inflammatory process and the precise diagnosis of the disease. To this end, modern biomicro- scopic research, ophthalmoscopy of the ocular fundus, measurement of intraocular pressure, imaging of the eye, and the like are used in modern medicine. Additional studies in the form of blood tests and fluorography can help clarify the cause of the disease. After all, it often depends on it, will not inflammation come back again and again.

Depending on what kind of etiology the eyes have uveitis, the treatment has both a general symptomatic and, after the diagnosis has been established, a specific character. As a rule, it is carried out with the help of antibiotics, sulfonamide, vasodilator, antihistamine and neurotropic drugs. For local therapy, eye drops and ointments are used. Immunostimulation plays an important role in it. Also used are drops that dilate the pupil.

In addition, physiotherapy, laser and in some cases surgical treatment are used.

Uveitis is serious!

Uveitis, the symptoms of which were considered in the article, can occur in 10-15% of cases of bacterial or viral diseases. Therefore, for any infectious disease, be sure to check the eyes and eyes.

Influenza, chickenpox, herpes, toxoplasmosis and many other ailments can be a trigger for the appearance of uveitis and, as a result, reduced vision. Do not risk your health! In time, contact the oculists, and your eyes will not let you down for a long time!