Iritis

Iritis Overview

The iris is the circular, colored portion of the front of the eye with the dark pupil in the center.
The iris is made up of muscular fibers that control the amount of light entering the pupil so that we can see clearly. The iris accomplishes this task by making the pupil smaller in bright light and larger in dim light. The iris is the front part of the uveal tract of the eye (the iris in the front and the ciliary body and uveal tract behind it). In some people, the iris can become inflamed. This is termed iritis.
Inflammation of the front part of the eye is referred to as anterior uveitis or iritis, whereas inflammation behind this is known as posterior uveitis.

Iritis Causes

Iritis may be a consequence of trauma (traumatic iritis) or nontraumatic causes. In a significant number of cases, no cause for the iritis is found.

• Blunt trauma to the eye can cause traumatic inflammation of the iris.



• Nontraumatic iritis is frequently associated with certain systemic diseases (diseases that affects multiple locations throughout the body), such as ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter syndrome, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis. Noteworthy of special attention is iritis associated with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.



• Infectious causes may include Lyme disease, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, syphilis, and herpes simplex and herpes zoster viruses.

• Iritis Symptoms

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  Iritis usually develops quickly and generally affects only one eye. Signs and symptoms may include any or all of the following:
  
• pain in the eye or brow region. An exception to this is iritis in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since they often do not have pain. Due to the lack of pain it may be confused with minor irritation ("pink eye") of the eye and should not be ignored in these patients;
• worsened eye pain when exposed to bright light;
• reddened eye, especially adjacent to the iris;
• small or irregularly shaped pupil;
• blurred vision;
• headache;
• increased tear production in the eye; or
• iritis may result in glaucoma and/or cataracts, leading to a marked decrease of vision.
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Iritis Symptoms

Patient Comments Read 12 Comments Share Your Story

Iritis usually develops quickly and generally affects only one eye. Signs and symptoms may include any or all of the following:

• pain in the eye or brow region. An exception to this is iritis in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since they often do not have pain. Due to the lack of pain it may be confused with minor irritation ("pink eye") of the eye and should not be ignored in these patients;
• worsened eye pain when exposed to bright light;
• reddened eye, especially adjacent to the iris;
• small or irregularly shaped pupil;
• blurred vision;
• headache;
• increased tear production in the eye; or
• iritis may result in glaucoma and/or cataracts, leading to a marked decrease of vision.

Exams and Tests

The diagnosis of iritis is confirmed by examining the eye with a slit lamp (a special microscope designed for eye examination). Your ophthalmologist can see cells (white blood cells) and flare (particles of protein) in the aqueous humor (fluid that is produced in the eye).
Your physician will take a careful history looking for possible causes of iritis.
Other findings aid your ophthalmologist in diagnosing iritis.

• Topical anesthetics do not relieve the pain associated with iritis.
• Shining light in the normal, unaffected eye causes pain in the affected eye if iritis is present. This is because shining light in one eye causes both pupils to constrict. So, movement of the affected iris causes pain.
• The pressure inside the eye (so called "glaucoma test") is often lower than in the other eye (but it may be high also).
• The pupil of the eye with iritis may be much smaller or more irregular than the other eye.

Iritis Treatment

 Self-Care at Home

Mild analgesics may help temporarily until you can see the ophthalmologist.
Iritis requires prescription medications (drops, pills, or a combination) and follow-up visits with an ophthalmologist, so seeking medical care is essential.

• Use prescription medications exactly as prescribed.
• Wear dark glasses if exposure to light is uncomfortable.
• Take mild analgesics, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil), to help control some of the discomfort.