What are the general causes of Uveitis?
Infections, autoimmune problems, and inflammatory responses are the most common underlying causes of Uveitis. INFECTIONS – Bacteria, fungus, or viruses can cause infectious Uveitis. Infectious forms of Uveitis can be cured if the appropriate diagnosis is made and the correct antibiotics or antiviral agents are prescribed. Unfortunately, infections are a frequently overlooked cause of Uveitis. AUTOIMMUNE – Autoimmune Uveitis is inflammation in the eye that results from the body’s immune system attacking the cell tissues of the eye. Autoimmune Uveitis is probably the most common cause of Uveitis. Diagnoses often seen in autoimmune Uveitis include rheumatoid arthritis, Behcet’s syndrome, and HLA B-27 (a tissue antigen). INFLAMMATORY – Some cases of Uveitis have underlying causes which cannot be more specifically diagnosed but are treated similar to autoimmune Uveitis. Examples of inflammatory Uveitis are Fuchs’ heterochromic iridocyclitis, pars planitis and sarcoidosis.
