Eye Inflammation

Eye Inflammation can affect different parts of your eyes. There are several conditions that can cause eye inflammation, including those inside the eye like uveitis and episcleritis,
and around the eye such as blepharitis.

Each condition has specific symptoms, causes and treatments. They range from the mild and easily treatable, to those that can cause permanent damage to the eyes and vision. So, if you are suffering from any kind of inflammation, pain, or discomfort in your eyes, it’s important to see your optometrist right away. We can diagnose your problem
and recommend the right treatment.

Uveitis

What is uveitis?

Uveitis is a condition that causes inflammation inside your eye.
Uveitis affects the uvea, which is the middle layer of tissue and
structures between the white of the eye and the retina. It’s rare,
affecting 2-5 people in every 10,000 every year in the U.K.¹ and
between 38 to 748 per 100,000 globally.²

Sometimes uveitis can go away quickly, but it can be serious and lead
to a permanent loss of vision.³ Uveitis is a leading cause of blindness
and accounts for 10–15% of vision loss worldwide.⁴
It’s important to see your optometrist if you are worried that you may
be suffering from uveitis. The quicker it is treated the better.

There are many causes of uveitis, but they are usually related to
problems with the immune system. It’s often difficult to establish the
cause but the most common are autoimmune or inflammatory
diseases, an infection or injury to the eye.⁵

Symptoms of uveitis can start suddenly or develop over several days.
They can include⁶:

Eye pain
Blurry or cloudy vision
Floaters (small shapes that float across your field of vision)
Red eyes
Sensitivity to light
Loss of peripheral vision

Uveitis Symptoms

There are several types of uveitis. The type of uveitis you have depends on the part of your eye that’s affected.⁷ ⁸ Iritis or anterior uveitis is the most common type of uveitis. It affects the front of your eye. Iritis symptoms include redness, pain and can come on quickly.

Intermediate uveitis affects the retina, blood vessels behind the lens and the gel-like fluid that fills the eye. It can cause floaters and blurred vision.

Posterior uveitis affects the back of your eye and can cause more serious vision problems.⁹

Diffuse uveitis or panuveitis affects all the layers of your eye from the front to the back.

Uveitis treatment

If you are diagnosed with uveitis, your optometrist will suggest treatment depending on the type and cause. Medicine is the most common treatment, usually steroids
(eye drops, pills or injections). In rare, serious cases, your ophthalmologist
will recommend surgery.

If the uveitis is caused by an underlying infection, that may also need to be treated. You could be given antivirals, antibiotics, or antifungal medicine. For some people, immunosuppressants may be prescribed to help control your immune system.

Treatment

Episcleritis often goes away by itself, so treatment isn’t always
necessary. Topical or inflammatory medicines may be prescribed by
your optometrist to help with pain or in recurring cases.

Blepharitis

What is Blepharitis?

Blepharitis is a common condition that causes eyelid inflammation.
The edges of your eyelids become red and swollen and it can be
uncomfortable and unpleasant but shouldn’t cause permanent
damage if taken care of.

If you have blepharitis, it’s likely that your symptoms will be worse in
the mornings. They include¹¹ ¹² :

Red, swollen eyelids
Itchy or sore eyelids
Dandruff-like flakes on the eyelashes
Crusted eyelashes
Eyelids sticking together
Feeling of something stuck in your eye(s)
Watery eye(s)
Blurred vision that gets better when you blink
Sensitivity to light

The exact cause of blepharitis isn’t known, but it’s usually due to:

Infection: an overgrowth of bacteria at the base of the eyelashes
Certain skin conditions: such as seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea
and contact dermatitis
Eyelash mites: these are parasites that can be found on the
eyelashes. They normally don’t cause any issues but sometimes
they can build up at the base of the eyelashes causing
flakes and irritation¹³

It is not contagious, so other people won’t catch it from you if
you have it.

Treatment

There isn’t a cure, but if you suffer from eyelid inflammation your optometrist may suggest options to help ease the symptoms such as:

Daily eyelid-cleaning routine: This is the most important and
effective way to reduce the intensity and frequency of symptoms even if you don’t currently have an infection
Over-the counter treatments: Medicated eyelid washes can help clear up and prevent infections ¹⁴
Antibiotic ointment or drops: In more serious cases of blepharitis, antibiotics might be necessary

If you would like to learn more about uveitis including iritis,
episcleritis, blepharitis or other eye inflammation conditions,
please head over to the NHS website.

Eye Inflammation

Uveitis

Uveitis Symptoms

Uveitis treatment

Treatment

Treatment

Citations