Posterior Uveitis: Everything You Need to Know
Posterior Uveitis is an eye disorder that causes inflammation in the back of the eye.
Posterior Uveitis accounts for 20% of Uveitis cases.
The eye disorder causes sudden or gradual vision loss.
With timely diagnosis and treatment, complete vision loss can be prevented.
Read the article to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Posterior Uveitis.
Posterior Uveitis symptoms
Posterior Uveitis affects the layer inside your back eye, either Retina or Choroid.
Hence, it is more commonly known as Choroiditis.
Unlike Anterior Uveitis, Posterior does not cause eye redness or pain.
But, it causes slow or sudden painless loss of vision.
Other symptoms that people may experience if they have posterior Uveitis include:
- Eye Floaters
- Reduced visual acuity (sharpness of vision)
- Light sensitivity
Posterior Uveitis Causes
Posterior Uveitis is a result of injury or trauma to the eye.
The causes of this type of Uveitis can be infectious that arise due to a bacterial or viral infection.
The inflammation in the choroid is also associated with autoimmune causes like Sarcoidosis.
Infectious causes
The infectious causes of Uveitis mainly include the following disorders,
- Toxoplasmosis: It is a parasite infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii. People can get the infection from contaminated food or cat feces.
It can cause flu, muscle pain, fever, and headache.
Parasitic infection is the most common cause of Posterior Uveitis.
- Tuberculosis: Another cause of the choroid and retina’s inflammation is a bacterial infection.
It spreads through coughs and sneezes.
It causes severe cough, fever, and night sweats in the patients.
Posterior Uveitis caused due to this bacterial infection is also called Tuberculosis Uveitis.
Patients might experience multiple, discrete, yellow lesions uni- or bilaterally in the posterior pole.
- Toxocariasis: The infection is caused by roundworms commonly found in dogs and cats.
Ocular Toxocariasis causes gradual vision loss due to Uveitis.
Patients may additionally experience photophobia, floaters, and Strabismus.
Non-infectious causes
The non-infectious causes of Posterior Uveitis are the following autoimmune disorders,
- Sarcoidosis: The autoimmune disorder is characterized by the growth of many granulomas in the eyes, lymph nodes, skin, heart, and other body parts.
In sarcoid Posterior Uveitis, the granulomas cause retinal lesions.
They also cause choroidal inflammation additionally.
The condition is generally bilateral but can be largely asymmetric.
- Polyarteritis Nodosa: The immune disorder causes inflammation in the blood vessels. It causes injury to the organ system.
The disorder also affects the ocular tissue causing aneurysms that lead to inflammation in the choroid.
- Scleroderma: It is a group of rare conditions that cause hardening and tightening of the skin.
This skin hardening causes problems in blood vessels and internal organs.
It also causes problems in the ocular system leading to inflammation in the eye’s retina.
Risk Factors
Posterior Uveitis is prone to occur in the following cases,
- People with specific genes may be more likely to develop Posterior Uveitis.
- Patients with a weakened or impaired immune system, such as HIV or AIDS, are at higher risk of eye disorders.
- Cigarette smoking has been associated with more challenges in managing the disease.
Diagnosis
The treatment of Posterior Uveitis depends on the cause of the disorder.
Hence, proper diagnosis is necessary for doctors to prescribe an appropriate treatment plan.
The diagnosis tests involve the following,
- Ancillary investigations
- Color Fundus
- Indocyanine Green Angiography
- Optical Coherence Tomography
- Ultrasound B scan
An internist must evaluate the patient thoroughly to rule out possible associated causes of their Uveitis.
The patient’s treatment is complete with simultaneous treatment of the underlying systemic condition.
Posterior Uveitis Treatment
The treatment of Posterior Uveitis differs for infectious and non-infectious conditions.
The doctors usually prescribe the following types of medicines for treating the inflammation:
Anti-inflammatory medication
Doctors generally prescribe corticosteroids as an anti-inflammatory medicine.
The eye drops may not treat inflammation in the front of the eye. In such cases, doctors can prescribe Corticosteroid injections.
Immunosuppressants
Immunosuppressant medicines are prescribed with oral steroids for autoimmune causes of Uveitis.
It is prescribed in cases where both eyes are affected.
Antibacterial or antiviral medicine
Infectious Anterior Uveitis may require antibiotic and antiviral medication.
These eyedrops help control the infection and eventually treat inflammation.
| Medicines | Approx. Cost |
|---|---|
| Actavis Bimatoprost 300 mcg | $9.83 |
| Azithral Eye Drops 0.1% (3ml) | $15.50 |
| Toba DM 3mg and 1mg (10ml) | $2.42 |
| Locula Eye Drop 20% (10ml) | $15.40 |
| Lotepred Eye drop of 5 ml | $5.64 |
Anterior vs Posterior Uveitis
Uveitis is an umbrella term for many types of conditions.
There are two primary types of Uveitis, Anterior and Posterior.
Both the conditions are different in the following factors,
| Anterior Uveitis | Posterior Uveitis |
|---|---|
| It is a more common condition, accounting for 80% of Uveitis cases. | It is a rare condition. |
| Anterior Uveitis affects the iris and ciliary muscle of the eye. | Posterior causes inflammation in the retina and choroid part of the eye. |
| Its symptoms include eye pain and ocular redness. | No such symptoms are shown in this type. |
| It is a less severe condition. | This type of Uveitis is a serious condition. |
Takeaway
Posterior Uveitis causes inflammation at the back of the eye.
Diagnosing this type of Uveitis is difficult as it mainly causes gradual vision loss.
The causes of this condition range from infectious to autoimmune disorders.
If you are experiencing vision loss, contact your doctor for a timely diagnosis and treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common cause of posterior Uveitis?
The most common cause of Posterior Uveitis is Toxoplasmosis. It is a parasitic infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. People with parasitic infections may experience flu, fever, muscle pain, and vision loss.
What is the best treatment for Posterior Uveitis?
Doctors usually prescribe systemic steroids with immunosuppressant medicines to treat Posterior Uveitis. In case of infectious Uveitis, doctors can prescribe antibacterial medication.
Can posterior Uveitis cause vision loss?
Yes, Posterior Uveitis can cause vision loss. It affects the choroid region of the eye, causing inflammation. This inflammation leads to blurred vision and gradual vision loss.
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