Iritis
Medical Author: Frank J. Weinstock, MD, FACS
Medical Editor: Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACS
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.
Next: What is the treatment for iritis? »
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