Can the eyes be affected by JIA?
Yes. Inflammation of the inside of the eye/s is called iritis or anterior uveitis. While uveitis may cause symptoms such as decreased vision, floaters, pain, redness, or light sensitivity, there are usually NO symptoms. The white blood cells and proteins in the aqueous fluid in the front part of the eye are detectable only with a special instrument called a slit-lamp. For this reason it is very important to have routine, serial exams by an ophthalmologist (a medical doctor who specializes in treating diseases of the eye) to check for iritis.
