What is uveitis?

  Uveitis, also known as uveitis, is a general term for inflammation of the iris, ciliary body and choroidal tissues. It is a common disease in ophthalmology and can cause a number of serious complications and sequelae, and is one of the major causes of blindness. It can be divided into anterior uveitis, posterior uveitis and intermediate uveitis according to the site of onset.  The etiology of uveitis is complex, and more than 50% of uveitis has no obvious etiology at present. Most of them are autoimmune diseases, as the uvea has a rich capillary network where pathogens that circulate with the blood have more opportunities to stagnate. It can also be caused by trauma, chemical substances or the spread of disease in adjacent tissues.  Clinical symptoms include pain, photophobia, lacrimation, and blurred vision. Untreated or mistreated uveitis can lead to many complications with very serious consequences. Common complications include banded corneal degeneration, cataract, macular and optic disc edema, macular surface fold-like changes, corneal edema, glaucoma, retinal detachment, etc. Therefore, timely treatment is needed.  Currently, uveitis is treated with a combination of hormones and immunosuppressants, and conventional treatment includes corticosteroids and pupil-dilating drugs.  Uveitis is very prone to recurrence, especially when the autoimmune function is low, when one is tired, or when one has a cold. If symptoms of recurrence are perceived, early diagnosis and treatment should be performed to prevent permanent damage.