Mary Allen
Uveitis is inflammation of the iris and/or choroid/retina in the eye. This is a reaction to a “disorder” in the eye and not a causative disease. Uveitis can also occur as a result of a physical illness and then affects one or both eyes.
Causes
- Originating from the immune system (idiopathic (in its own right) immune-mediated uveitis)
This is the most common form at 85%. Despite extensive diagnostic tests, the cause often cannot be determined. In this disease, the body’s defense (immune) system reacts against the choroid. For some inexplicable reason, the body attacks itself, as it were.
Anti-inflammatory drugs are indicated, both locally and orally, over a longer period of time, sometimes permanently.
- Infectious
Numerous infectious diseases in dogs (travel diseases such as leishmaniasis, babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, etc.) and cats (FIV, FeLV, FIP, toxoplasmosis, bartonellosis) can lead to uveitis. Further blood tests are necessary here.
- Tumorous
Both tumors in the eye and tumors in the body (e.g. lymph node cancer) can lead to uveitis. Here, too, further examinations (blood tests, ultrasound, X-rays, etc.) are indicated.
- Traumatic (hit, bump)
Blunt or perforating injuries to the eye can significantly damage the sensitive structures in the eye. The resulting uveitis can affect the front segment of the eye (uveitis anterior) or also the rear segment (uveitis posterior). Depending on the degree of trauma, therapy can be successful. Moderate trauma usually has a favorable prognosis.
- Lens-induced uveitis
When a cataract (clouding of the lens) is far advanced, lens protein leaks into the eye. This protein stimulates the immune system to defend itself, which leads to inflammation (uveitis). This is more pronounced in young animals and those in which cataracts progress rapidly (diabetes). If the lens capsule tears and large amounts of lens protein are released, the eye may not respond to the therapy. In rabbits, infection with a unicellular parasite (Encephalitozoon cuniculi) leads to severe clouding of the lenses with lens capsule rupture. A blood test can provide information about the infection status of the rabbit.
Overpressure in the eye, so-called glaucoma or glaucoma, can develop after uveitis.
Therapy has to focus on the triggering cause on the one hand and on the other hand, the symptoms have to be combated.