Uveitis Overview

Causes

Uveitis is an inflammation inside the eye, affecting the uvea. The uvea provides most of the blood supply to the retina. Causes of uveitis can include autoimmune disorders , infection, or exposure to toxins. However, in many cases the cause remains unknown.

The most common form of uveitis is anterior uveitis, which involves inflammation in the front part of the eye. This form of uveitis is usually limited to the iris. Therefore, this condition is often called iritis (inflammation of the iris). The inflammation may be associated with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis , but most cases occur in healthy people and do not indicate an underlying disease. The disorder may affect only one eye and is most common in young and middle-aged people. A history of an autoimmune disease is a risk factor.

Pars planitis is inflammation of the pars plana, a narrow area between the iris and the choroid. Pars planitis usually occurs in young men and is generally not associated with any other disease. However, there have been a few case ...