Chorioretinitis can be a difficult condition to treat and may require long term treatment with oral steroid or immunosuppresant medication.Ĭhorioretinitis is seen clinically as yellow white spots at the back of the eye. Depending on the severity, it can also cause vitritis (inflammation of the vitreous), cystoid macular edema (swelling of the macula) and optic neuropathy (damage to the optic nerve), all of which also affect the vision. This condition is commonly called choroiditis or chorioretinitis if the retina is involved.Ĭhorioretinitis causes visual loss through inflammation of the choroid and retina. Due to the proximity of the choroid to the retina, the retina is also commonly affected. Posterior uveitis: This is the inflammation of the choroid. The illustration on the right graphically shows the clinical features of pars planitis - snowballs, snowbanks and cystoid macular edema. The picture on the left demonstrates the location of the pars plana. The typical signs are "snowballs" and "snowbanking", which can only be seen clinically through a fully dilated pupil. If severe, you may experience blurred vision due to cystoid macular edema. Occasionally, there may be pain and photophobia. With pars planitis, you will notice floaters. It is the next commonest form of uveal inflammation. This condition is also called pars planitis. Intermediate uveitis: This is the inflammation of the middle part of the uvea, namely the pars plana or area between the ciliary body and retina. Complications of untreated iritis include cataract and glaucoma. There may also be a yellow fluid level in the eye due to accumulation of inflammatory and pus cells - this is known as a hypopyon. If severe and/or longstanding, your pupil may become misshapen and part of it stuck to your lens (posterior synechie). The area encircling the iris will look inflamed. Photophobia occurs because light worses the spasm of the iris muscles caused by the inflammation. So what happens when you get iritis or iridocyclitis? The common symptoms are eye pain, tenderness on touching and light sensitivity (photophobia). The picture on the right shows a hypopyon in severe iritis. ![]() The picture on the left shows a classic sign of longstanding iritis - an irregular pupil due to adhesions of the iris to the lens surface (posterior synechie). Fortunately, it is also readily treated with steroid eye drops. It is the most common form of uveal inflammation. If the inflammation also affects the ciliary body, this is called iridocyclitis. Inflammation of the iris is called iritis. So while it can be somewhat confusing, do remember that uveitis is an umbrella term for a spectrum of different inflammatory conditions affecting one or more parts of the uvea.īased on the anatomical location of the uveal inflammation, uveitis can be broadly classified into 3 groups:Īnterior uveitis: This is the inflammation of the front tissues of the uvea, namely the iris and ciliary body. Other forms, such as chorioretinitis, cause visual loss and floaters. ![]() Some forms, such as iritis, cause pain and light sensitivity. There are many different types of uveitis, and so how it affects you may not be how it affects other people. ![]() The uvea is therefore a very important part of the structure of the eye. The choroid is rich in blood vessels and supplies the retinal cells with nutrients. The choroid sits in between the sclera (the tough outermost coat of the eyeball) and the retina (the innermost lining of the eyeball which receives light and converts it to biochemical signals). It produces aqueous (natural fluid in the eye) and provides an attachment for the zonules of the lens. The ciliary body connects the iris and choroid. The iris muscles control pupil size and hence the amount of light that enters the eye. The iris is the colored part of the eye that surrounds the pupil. Also note the location of the choroid between the sclera and retina. Note the attachment of the lens to the ciliary body via the zonules. The uvea comprises the iris, ciliary body and choroid - these are highlighted in red boxes. It consists of the iris, ciliary body and choroid.ĭiagram showing the anatomy of the eyeball. The uvea can be considered as the middle layer of the eye. When any part of your uveal tract is inflamed, then you have uveitis, or least a form of it.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |