Uveitis

Uveitis is a condition where the inside of your eye becomes inflamed. It affects the middle layer of your eye, called the uvea. This condition may result in redness, pain and blurry vision.

Infections, injuries or problems with your immune system can cause uveitis. Sometimes, the cause is unknown. It can appear suddenly and last for a short time, or become a long-term (chronic) issue. 

Anyone can get uveitis, but it is most common in people aged 20 to 60. It can affect one or both eyes.

Early treatment is important to protect your vision. Without treatment, uveitis can lead to vision loss or, in rare cases, blindness.

To find out if you have uveitis, we examine your eyes and ask about your symptoms. 

We may also use the following tests to help confirm the condition:

• Dilated eye exam. We use eye drops to widen your pupils to look for inflammation.
• Visual acuity test. We measure how you see at different distances. This checks for changes in your vision.
• Slit-lamp exam. We use a special microscope with a bright light to examine the front of your eye. We look at your cornea, iris and lens.  
• Tonometry. We measure the pressure inside your eye. We use numbing drops to make the test more comfortable.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT). We use light waves to take cross-section pictures of your retina.

Sometimes, uveitis is linked to other conditions. These include various types of arthritis, sarcoidosis, or infections such as tuberculosis or syphilis. In these cases, we may recommend blood tests or imaging tests to find the underlying cause.

Treatment for uveitis depends on its cause. The main goal is to reduce inflammation and protect your vision.

Options may include:

• Eye drops. Steroid eye drops, such as corticosteroids, are usually the first treatment. The drops reduce pain and swelling.
• Oral or injected medications. If eye drops do not work, you might need corticosteroid pills or injections. These treat deeper inflammation.
• Immune-suppressing drugs. We may use these medications and refer you to a rheumatologist, if your immune system is causing the inflammation.
• Antibiotics or antivirals. If an infection is causing your uveitis, we use antibiotics or antiviral medications.
• Surgical implant. For severe or hard-to-treat cases, we may implant a small device in your eye. It releases steroids over time to control inflammation.

Clinics that treat uveitis

The Indigenous Wellness Liaison Team is here to support your health journey. Team members offer cultural support and healthcare advocacy. Learn more below or call them at 604-682-2344,62937 or email IWL@providencehealth.bc.ca

Advances in treatments are all thanks to medical research. While participating in research is a decision you should make for yourself in consultation with your care team, there is much activity in this area so please ask us about our research programs if you’re interested.

By taking part in research, you can help us all learn more about advancing health outcomes and find better ways to help people live and thrive. While you cannot assume benefit to yourself, your participation can make a difference in improving care for future patients.

The following clinical trials are currently enrolling volunteers. Please ask your care team for more information or contact the research team listed on each study or trial. For other information about research at Providence Health Care, please visit Providence Research.

Urgent referrals

Please send your patient to Providence Health Care’s emergency department or call the switchboard at 604-682-2344 and ask for the ophthalmologist-on-call. Please forward any CT, MRI, visual fields, and discharge summaries if available.

Non-urgent outpatient consultations

Routine referrals should be sent to ophthalmologists in the community. Referrals for testing only can be faxed to 604-806-8058. We accept direct calls from patients to book their own eye testing appointments after the referral has been received.