Just as your knee or elbow can
become inflamed, so can your eye. Uveitis is a name for
several types of inflammation of the inner part of the
eye, often causing impaired vision. It is not a single
disease, but a collective term referring to many
different conditions within the eye. '-Itis' means
inflammation; therefore, uveitis means inflammation of
any part of the uvea (iris, choroid or ciliary body).
Uveitis can be controlled with early treatment, but if
left untreated may cause serious problems and sight
loss. There are different types of uveitis and there can
be many different causes. It is very important to know
which type you have. This is because the symptoms,
causes and treatment may be completely different. There
are many possible causes of uveitis, such as autoimmune
disease, infection, trauma, surgery, or an associated
medical condition (such as ulcerative colitis or
sarcoidosis). Often, there is no underlying cause, but
a workup may still be done to rule out any systemic
causes.