Uveitis

Our eyes have a few specialised layers, and one of these is called the uvea. This layer is pigmented, contains blood vessels, and has many functions – it absorbs scattered light, provides oxygen and nutrients, and removes the heat brought about by the light entering the eye. 

Inflammation in this layer is called Uveitis and is given different names depending on which part of the uvea is involved, as well as any known underlying cause. Broadly speaking, the underlying cause is ‘Autoimmune’, but there are many different subtypes and often the specific underlying cause is not known.

Looking on the Internet for details regarding Uveitis can be fraught – often the information is vast and specific disease forums may leave you unnecessarily more worried than when you started. Your doctor can help you narrow down your search to more specific sites, but for now try Uveitis.net https://www.uveitis.net/patient/intro.php, a Scottish based website with a good general approach, or https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-uveitis.

Remember each person is different so please discuss your case with your Ophthalmologist.