Anterior uveitis is an inflammatory process in the vessels of the eye. The disease can spread to the iris, ciliary body, choroid. The anterior uveitis of the eyes is manifested by redness, irritation, pain syndrome of this sensory organ. In addition, there is an increased sensitivity of the eye to external stimuli.
During the diagnosis, the intraocular pressure of the patient is mandatory examined, ultrasound, tomography are performed. Treatment of anterior uveitis is carried out, taking into account the factors provoking the disease. For the most part, it is carried out, prescribing topical preparations. But some of the symptoms of anterior uveitis are eliminated only with the help of complex therapy. There are cases of surgical intervention.
About the disease
Signs of anterior uveitis account for 57% of all patients who see an ophthalmologist. This phenomenon provokes iritis, cyclitis, choroiditis. In some cases, anterior uveitis develops due to iridocyclitis. In about 30% of cases, this disease provokes visual impairment, and sometimes blindness.
It is noteworthy that anterior uveitis is common among people due to the many branches in the vascular ocular networks. In addition, at risk are people with slow blood flow in the eyes. Because of this, microorganisms constantly linger in this area, and this leads to chronic anterior uveitis.
Varieties
This disease has several variations. Most often, anterior uveitis, median, posterior and generalized is distinguished. The first variety affects the iris, the ciliary body. In the second case, the ciliary body, the retina, is affected. Back uveitis is represented by damage to the retina and optic nerves. If all these areas are affected together, we are talking about a generalized form of the disease. The disease differs in character. Acute anterior uveitis, chronic and recurrent, is distinguished separately.
Causes
Among the main factors that provoke this disease, there are infectious diseases, allergies, injuries, metabolic disorders, hormonal levels. The largest group is represented by an infectious type of anterior uveitis - in 44% of cases the diagnosis is made just like that.
The disease is caused by streptococci, tubercle bacilli, fungus, herpes. The occurrence, complication of anterior uveitis is associated with the fact that the infection is in the vascular bed, getting here from the focus of infection. This happens with tonsillitis, caries, tuberculosis, syphilis and many other ailments.
The allergic nature of uveitis is manifested with increased sensitivity of the body to external conditions. For example, in the photo the front uveitis is presented precisely of an allergic nature - such is the body's reaction to food or medicine. Sometimes, when vaccinated, a person develops a serum type of the disease.
Also, hormonal disorders, diseases of the circulatory system, and organs of vision lead to uveitis.
Symptoms
Symptoms in this case are different, given where the inflammatory process began and the individual characteristics of the affected organism.
The front uveitis presented in the photo proceeds with redness, eye irritation, and is also accompanied by pain. This is characteristic of the acute form of the disease. If the disease has become chronic, it is characterized by the appearance of "floating" points in front of the eyes, redness of the eyeballs.
One of the most important symptoms of this disease, which forms the basis of the clinical picture, is the presence of corneal precipitates. They are a collection of cells in the cornea. Among the consequences of anterior uveitis, synechia in the iris, glaucoma, cataract is distinguished.
Symptoms in a number of varieties of this disease are: migraines, hearing loss, psychosis, vitiligo, alopecia. Also, there is an increase in lymph nodes, glands, the appearance of shortness of breath, cough.
Diagnostics
Research with anterior uveitis involves the examination of the eyeball, the measurement of intraocular pressure. Through biomicroscopy, changes in the eyeball are detected. Ophthalmoscopy reveals retinal detachment, all kinds of eye swelling.
Sometimes the patient has contraindications to these procedures. In this case, the studies are carried out using ultrasound.
In some cases, it is necessary to conduct a Mantoux test, consult with a TB doctor. Sometimes patients are prescribed MRI of the brain, puncture, radiography of the spine, joints. A patient with similar complaints is often consulted with allergists and immunologists. Studies on the presence of chlamydia, toxoplasma, herpes, and many other provoking factors may become necessary.
Therapy
The course of treatment when identifying such an ailment is prescribed directly by the ophthalmologist. Other specialists may be involved. It is important that the diagnosis is carried out differentially. It is necessary to prevent all possible complications during the course of treatment. Indeed, at an advanced stage, the disease leads to blindness. At the same time, you need to get rid of the ailment that provoked uveitis.
The basis of any therapeutic course in this case include steroid drugs, immunosuppressive drugs. Antihistamines are also needed in cases where signs of an allergy in the body are detected.
Local remedies are important. Treatment of this kind must be carried out on an ongoing basis. If the therapeutic effect is not achieved with steroidal agents, immunosuppressive drugs are used.
Increased intraocular pressure
If the course of the disease is accompanied by this negative phenomenon, hirudotherapy is used to treat anterior uveitis. Leeches weaken the pressure, stabilizing it. Relief in the patient occurs in a fairly short time.
If there are complications of uveitis, surgical intervention is required. It is aimed at eliminating turbidity in the vitreous, glaucoma, cataract. Retinal detachment is also prevented. Vitreoectomy is sometimes used. If it turns out that it is impossible to save the eyeball, they carry out its evisceration.
Prevention and prognosis
Complex therapy, the timeliness of medical intervention are the precursors of a favorable prognosis. Within 6 weeks, the patient most often recovers completely. If there is a chronic form of the disease, then the likelihood of relapse in the future is high. Indeed, many diseases will provoke anterior uveitis.
Often, complications of uveitis lead to the development of retinal dystrophy, glaucoma, cataracts, and eyeball swelling. As a result, there is a significant decrease in visual acuity.
Preventive measures in this case involve the exclusion of domestic injuries of the eyeballs, the possibility of allergic reactions in the body, etc.
First signs
For the timely initiation of therapy for this ailment, it is important to know the exact symptoms. So, usually patients themselves put themselves mistakenly diagnosed with conjunctivitis. They can try to recover on their own, using drugs known to them and alternative methods.
But, when after a few days the vision drops, the patient turns to the ophthalmologist.
Most often, symptoms begin to bother from the very first days of the onset of the ailment - a person complains of redness of the eye, lacrimation, photophobia. Significantly reduced visual acuity.
Pain occurs when you press the eyeball. And even with the naked eye you can see that the color of the iris was changing, and his eyes were dim.
Also, the pupil begins to respond less to light exposure. Its shape may become irregular due to the fact that adhesions begin to hold it. Sometimes the pupil overgrows them completely. An examination by an ophthalmologist shows signs that pus is present in the eye.
Diet
The favorable prognosis is largely influenced by the patient's nutritional preferences. It is proved that increasing the body’s immune properties due to the diet helps to improve the prognosis. It is important to eat food that includes as many vitamins A and D. as possible. Their concentration is high in cod liver, sunflower seeds, pumpkin, chicken eggs, and wild garlic. It is useful to use various vegetable oils, oysters.
Carrots contain a lot of carotene, which is also extremely beneficial for the health of eyeballs. Apricot is a source of potassium and vitamin A. Nuts contain a high content of vitamin E. Citrus fruits contain vitamin C, which strengthens the body. It is also important to eat fatty fish.
Folk remedies
As an effective method of dealing with this eye ailment, traditional medicine has proven itself. One of them is washing the eyeball with a decoction of calendula for 14 days.
You can wash your eyes with chamomile decoctions. In fact, the universal remedy is aloe juice - it is mixed with water in a proportion of 1:10, and then dripped into the eyes twice a day for 10 days.
Traditional healers have compiled the following prescription drug for anterior uveitis. So, they smear the patient’s eyelids with honey, leave him lying with his eyes closed for half an hour. It is believed that the beneficial properties of honey have a positive effect on the condition of the eyeball.
Proponents of alternative medicine also grate potatoes, add parsley, and then thoroughly mix these components. After that, the mixture is laid out on the eyelids, covering them with gauze on top, and applying fabric on top. The procedure should last 40 minutes.
It is important to note that lotions from the roots of the marshmallow are very effective. It is necessary to prepare a decoction from this plant, and then, having dipped gauze in a decoction, apply it on the closed eyelids of the patient.
Decoctions of medicinal plants are prepared in the same way. It is necessary to take 2 teaspoons of dry grass and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. After you need to let the broth infuse for half an hour.
Help and eye wash with a decoction of rosemary. Often exercise and rinsing the eyes with decoctions of violets. One of the doctors recommends washing with decoctions of mint leaves. They soothe the affected areas. It is useful to consume the mummy inside, following the instructions for this healing substance.
Precaution
It is important to carefully observe precautions, resorting to the use of folk remedies during the treatment of anterior uveitis. Otherwise, the body can only be harmed, provoking the emergence of many negative phenomena. If you find the first symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor, bearing in mind that complications of the disease lead to blindness.
When planning to use folk remedies, you must first consult a doctor. Otherwise, alternative methods of therapy may conflict with the official medicines used, which will reduce the effectiveness of such treatment to nothing. Only a specialist will correctly select a combination of drugs and folk remedies, which will help to achieve quick healing without relapse.
In addition, it is necessary to carefully read the recommendations on the use of each type of medicinal herbs before treatment of anterior uveitis, iridocyclitis. The thing is that their effectiveness in medicine is affected by the time of collection. If the grass is harvested at the wrong time, it will simply be ineffective. After all, the concentration of nutrients in plants varies significantly from season to season.