Iritis
Template:DiseaseDisorder infobox Template:Search infobox Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Iritis is a form of anterior uveitis and refers to the inflammation of the iris of the eye.
Types
There are two main types of iritis: acute and chronic. Acute iritis is a type of iritis that can heal independently within a few weeks. If treatment is provided, acute iritis improves quickly. Chronic iritis can exist for months or years before recovery occurs. Chronic iritis does not respond to treatment as well as acute iritis does. Chronic iritis is also accompanied by a higher risk of serious visual impairment.
Signs and symptoms
- Ocular and periorbital pain
- Photophobia
- Consensual photophobia (pain in affected eye when light is shone in unaffected eye)
- Blurred or cloudy vision
- Reddened eye, especially adjacent to the iris
- White blood cells (leukocytes) (resulting in a grey or near-white haze) and protein (resulting in tiny white dots) in the anterior chamber, often called "cells and flare."
- Synechia or adhesion of iris to lens or cornea
Causes
Life Threatening Causes
Common Causes
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- HLA-B27 disorder
- Meclofenamate
- Medrysone
- Trametinib
- Tetracaine
- Behçet's disease
- Crohn's disease
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Reiter's disease
- Chronic psoriasis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Sarcoidosis
- Scleroderma
- Ulcerative colitis
Causes by Organ System
| Cardiovascular | No underlying causes |
| Chemical/Poisoning | No underlying causes |
| Dental | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | No underlying causes |
| Drug Side Effect | No underlying causes |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | No underlying causes |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | No underlying causes |
| Genetic | No underlying causes |
| Hematologic | No underlying causes |
| Iatrogenic | No underlying causes |
| Infectious Disease | No underlying causes |
| Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic | No underlying causes |
| Neurologic | No underlying causes |
| Nutritional/Metabolic | No underlying causes |
| Obstetric/Gynecologic | No underlying causes |
| Oncologic | No underlying causes |
| Ophthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose/Toxicity | No underlying causes |
| Psychiatric | No underlying causes |
| Pulmonary | No underlying causes |
| Renal/Electrolyte | No underlying causes |
| Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy | No underlying causes |
| Sexual | No underlying causes |
| Trauma | No underlying causes |
| Urologic | No underlying causes |
| Miscellaneous | No underlying causes |
Causes in Alphabetical Order
Complications
Complications of iritis may include the following: Cataract, glaucoma, corneal calcification, posterior uveitis, blindness, band keratopathy, and cystoid macular oedema.
Treatment
- Steroid anti-inflammatory eye drops (such as prednisolone acetate)
- Dilating eye drops (to help prevent synechia and reduce photophobia)
- Pressure-reducing eye drops (such as brimonidine tartrate)
- Oral steroids (such as prednisone)
- Subconjunctival steroid injections
- Steroid-sparing agents such as methotrexate (for prolonged, chronic iritis)
External links
- Care of the Patient with Anterior Uveitis (CPG7) (PDF)
- Iritis Organization
- Assessment of the Red Eye - Iritis
- Medical Info on Iritis