The term “uveitis” refers to over 50 different Inflammatory Eye Diseases (IED) that are characterized by inflammation of the uveal tract (iris, ciliary body and choroid). Uveitis is the third leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Despite this, the causes and development of uveitis are still not fully understood.
Roughly 40% of uveitis cases are “idiopathic,” which means that their cause is unknown. The remaining cases, those with a known origin, can be caused by infections, malignancies (cancers), exposure to toxins and autoimmune disorders. Uveitis can also be accompanied by inflammation of the retina (retinitis) or inflammation of the optic nerve (optic neuritis). Uveitis can develop in any section of the eye from the anterior section (the front part of the eye, including the iris and cornea), the middle section (anterior vitreous, peripheral retina or ciliary body) to the posterior section (posterior vitreous, retina, or choroid).
TheraKine's OptiKine™ is targeted to help patients with uveitis.
For further information on uveitis, including current treatments and early warning signs, we recommend:
uveitis.org
The Mayo Clinic's page on uveitis