What Causes Uveitis?
Discussion
Inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, or uvea, is termed uveitis. Uveitis can be divided into anterior, intermediate or posterior uveitis by involving the anterior (iris and ciliary body), intermediate (vitreous) or posterior (choroid and usually retina) compartments. Panuveitis involves all 3 compartments. Duration can also be used to classify uveitis. Acute is 6 weeks and > 3 months is chronic persistent uveitis. Episodic periods of inactivity and reactivity that last more than 3 months are called recurrent uveitis. A third way to characterize uveitis is if it is granulomatous or not. Uveitis increases with age with the highest incidence and prevalence in > 65 year olds. Only ~10% of uveitis occurs in the pediatric age group. Uveitis can be difficult to identify in younger children as they cannot as readily communicate their visual problems. Younger children unfortunately seem to have worse long-term outcomes too.
Pars planitis is a non-granulomatous, chronic, intermediate uveitis of unknown cause (subvariation of idiopathic), but felt to be immune-mediated with a linkage to HLA-DR2 and HLA-DR15. It occurs in children and teens and is possibly more common in males but studies disagree. Patients can be asymptomatic or often have an insidious onset of blurred or decreased vision or floaters. Other less common symptoms are pain, redeye or photophobia. Young children can have strabismus or leukocoria. The eyes are often asymmetrically involved but usual...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
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