What is uveitis?
Uveitis is inflammation inside the eye. It can affect the front, middle or back of the eye and may also involve nearby structures such as the retina, choroid or optic nerve.
The term comes from the uvea, the middle layer of the eye, but uveitis can affect several parts of the eye at the same time.
Uveitis can be uncomfortable and, in some cases, can threaten vision if it is not diagnosed and treated appropriately.
At The Retina Clinic London, patients are assessed by consultants with specialist expertise in uveitis and inflammatory eye disease. Detailed examination, advanced retinal imaging and wider medical investigations are used to identify the pattern of inflammation, possible causes and any complications.
What symptoms can uveitis cause?
Symptoms may include:
- Eye redness
- Eye pain
- Light sensitivity
- Blurred vision
- Floaters
- Reduced vision
- Headache or discomfort around the eye
Symptoms can appear suddenly or develop gradually. Some forms of uveitis are recurrent, meaning that the inflammation can return over time.
Sudden pain, redness, light sensitivity or a reduction in vision should be assessed promptly.
What causes uveitis?
Uveitis can have many possible causes.
It may be associated with:
- An overactive immune response
- Inflammatory or autoimmune disease elsewhere in the body
- Infection
- Previous eye surgery or injury
- Certain medicines
- Other eye conditions
In some cases, no definite cause is identified. This is sometimes described as idiopathic uveitis.
Because the causes are varied, careful specialist assessment is essential. Treatment is guided by the type of inflammation, the part of the eye involved, its severity and whether there is an associated medical condition.
How is uveitis diagnosed?
Diagnosis begins with a detailed clinical examination.
At The Retina Clinic London, assessment may include:
- Slit-lamp examination to assess inflammation at the front of the eye
- Dilated retinal examination
- Optical coherence tomography, known as OCT, to check for macular swelling and other retinal changes
- Ultra-widefield OCT and OCT angiography to assess the central and peripheral retina and retinal blood flow
- Ultra-widefield retinal imaging
- Fluorescein angiography to assess leakage, blood vessel changes and retinal inflammation
- Indocyanine green angiography, known as ICG, to examine inflammatory changes affecting the deeper choroidal circulation
- Electroretinography, which measures the electrical responses of the retina and helps assess retinal function
- Blood tests and other medical investigations where appropriate
Together, these investigations identify the pattern and extent of inflammation, show whether the retina, choroid or macula is affected and detect complications such as macular oedema.
Where a wider medical cause is suspected, our specialists can work with other medical specialties, including rheumatology, infectious diseases and general medicine. This coordinated approach helps ensure that both the eye inflammation and any underlying systemic condition are managed appropriately.
What treatments are available?
Treatment depends on the cause, location and severity of the inflammation.
Treatment may include:
- Steroid eye drops
- Periocular steroid injections around the eye
- Intravitreal steroid injections or implants inside the eye
- Oral steroid medication
- Intravenous steroid infusions for severe inflammation where required
- Steroid-sparing immunomodulatory treatment
- Biologic therapies in selected cases
- Anti-VEGF injections for complications such as inflammatory macular oedema or abnormal blood vessel growth
- Antimicrobial treatment where infection is responsible
- Surgical treatment where required
- Treatment and monitoring of complications such as macular oedema
Uveitis treatment requires careful balance. The aim is to control inflammation effectively, protect vision and minimise the risk of treatment-related side effects.
Some patients need a short course of treatment. Others benefit from longer-term therapy and close follow-up to monitor the response, adjust treatment and identify any recurrence at an early stage.
Why does specialist care matter?
Uveitis can be complex because inflammation may affect the front of the eye, the retina, the choroid, the optic nerve or several structures at once.
It may also be linked to a wider health condition, even when eye symptoms are the first sign.
Specialist-led care ensures that the pattern of inflammation, possible underlying causes and any complications are considered together. This allows investigations, treatment and follow-up to be planned with precision.
Our approach
The Retina Clinic London provides a specialist consultant-led service for uveitis and inflammatory eye disease.
Our approach combines detailed clinical examination, advanced retinal and choroidal imaging, electrophysiology testing, appropriate laboratory investigation and personalised treatment planning.
Patients receive clear explanations of their findings, possible causes and treatment options. Where treatment is required, our service can provide local and systemic therapies, including intravenous steroid infusions where clinically appropriate.
Close follow-up is central to uveitis care. Monitoring is tailored to the type of inflammation, the response to treatment, the risk of recurrence and any potential treatment side effects.
Where uveitis is associated with a wider medical condition, we can work alongside the relevant medical specialties to ensure that every aspect of the patient’s care remains coordinated and on track.
The next step
If you have eye pain, redness, light sensitivity, floaters or blurred vision, a specialist consultation can identify whether inflammation is present and guide appropriate treatment.
Sudden or worsening pain, redness or loss of vision should be assessed promptly.
To book your consultation, please call us on +44 (0)20 4548 5310 or visit https://www.theretinacliniclondon.com/book-a-consultation/
We’ll be glad to guide you through the next steps.