Iritis

Eye Diseases and Conditions Slideshow

Medical Author: Frank J. Weinstock, MD, FACS
Medical Editor: Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACS

• What is iritis?
• What causes iritis?
• What are symptoms and signs of iritis?
• How is iritis diagnosed?
• What is the treatment for iritis?
• How long does iritis last?
• What are complications of iritis?
• What is the prognosis for iritis?
• What research is being done for iritis?
• Where can I find out more information about iritis?
• Iritis At A Glance
• Find a local Eye Doctor in your town

What is iritis?

Iritis is an inflammatory condition of the colored portion (the iris which surrounds the pupil) of the eye. It causes varying degrees of redness of the eye, often with significant pain, sensitivity to light, tearing, and blurred vision.

What causes iritis?

Often no reason is found. An infection of the eye or inflammation from trauma may cause iritis. Iritis may also be a complication of many diseases such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, and collagen vascular diseases such as lupus. Iritis may occur with herpes simplex of the eye and after eye surgery. Iritis related to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is especially dangerous and may not respond well to treatment, leading to serious eye damage. In children with arthritis, pain from iritis is often absent. Because of this, "simple" red eyes in these children should not be ignored. Iritis is not contagious. Iritis may occur in one or both eyes. Finding a cause is much more common in patients with iritis on both eyes or iritis that recurs frequently.

What are symptoms and signs of iritis?

Iritis appears as a red, painful eye which may be accompanied by blurred vision and sensitivity to light. In addition, the pupil of the affected eye may be smaller than that of the healthy eye.

How is iritis diagnosed?

Diagnosis of iritis is made by the ophthalmologist. It is suspected from the history and symptoms and then is confirmed by an exam. After measuring the vision, the eye is inspected with a slit lamp (biomicroscope) where microscopic cells are seen in the front part of the eye. When measuring the eye pressure, it is often found to be lower than in the other eye.