In observance of Rare Disease Day on Feb. 29, 2020, Prevent Blindness is offering educational resources on uveitis, an inflammatory eye disease marked by swelling and tissue damage to the uvea. Uveitis is caused by an eye injury or surgery, an infection, autoimmune diseases or systemic inflammatory disorders that affect the whole body, or the cause can be unknown. Prevent Blindness is also offering a new patient education resource dedicated to keratitis, an inflammation of the cornea.
The resources can be found at www.preventblindness.org/uveitis and www.preventblindness.org/keratitis, as well as a new educational video. Downloadable fact sheets are also available, including, “Uveitis Causes,” “Uveitis Facts,” “Uveitis Patient Guide,” and “Keratitis.” Development of these new resources was supported by a grant from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.
Without early detection and treatment, inflammatory eye diseases can lead to permanent vision loss. The prevalence of inflammatory eye diseases can vary based on the type and cause of the condition. Uveitis causes about 30,000 new cases of legal blindness annually in the United States and accounts for about 10–15 percent of all cases of total blindness in the country.
Uveitis symptoms may occur quickly in an acute form (lasts less than six weeks) or slowly in a chronic form (lasts longer than six weeks). Symptoms may affect one or both eyes. While this disease can affect anyone at any age, uveitis is most commonly seen in working age adults, with a higher prevalence in women. In addition, smoking may increase the risk of getting uveitis.
General eye inflammation occurs in response to infection, allergies, autoimmune disorders, irritation, injury, or trauma to the eyes, eyelids, or surrounding tissues. Most cases of eye inflammation can be successfully treated. However, in some cases there can be an eye disease present, which can pose a threat to eyesight.
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 930,000 doctor's office and outpatient clinic visits and 58,000 emergency department visits for keratitis or contact lens disorders occur annually. And, episodes of keratitis and contact lens disorders cost an estimated $175 million in direct health care expenditures.
“Inflammatory eye diseases are very serious and can lead to significant vision loss and even blindness,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “It is very important to have regular, comprehensive eye exams, to help catch vision issues early on. We encourage everyone to make an appointment with an eye doctor immediately if you experience any sudden vision changes to help save your sight in the future.”