Iritis Symptoms

Iritis is a condition in which the iris or front of the eye becomes swollen and uncomfortable. It has a variety of causes and usually is easily treated and managed.
  1. What Is Iritis?

    • Iritis is the often painful inflammation of the eye that can be caused by trauma or disease and occasionally has no cause at all.

    Symptoms

    • Iritis symptoms include pain in the eye and eyebrow region, headache, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, abnormally shaped pupil, and watering eyes.

    Causes: Systemic Diseases

    • Systemic diseases, diseases that affect multiple parts of the body, can often be the cause of iritis. The systemic diseases known to cause iritis include tuberculosis; ankylosing spondylitis, a disorder that impairs the mobility of the spine; Reiter's syndrome, an inflammatory disease similar to arthritis; sarcoidosis, a disease characterized by growths in the lungs and liver; psoriasis; inflammatory bowel disease; and in children, rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In kids with RA, however, iritis does not cause pain.

    Infectious and Communicable Diseases

    • Lyme disease, herpes zoster (chickenpox in kids, shingles in adults), herpes simplex (sores in or around the mouth, genitals or anus), syphilis and toxoplasmosis (a parasitic infection caused by contact with cat feces) are often causes of iritis.

    Trauma

    • Blunt trauma to the eye can also cause iritis. Whether a punch with a fist or an accidental fall, being hit in the eye or face can cause iritis in some cases.

    Treatments

    • In severe cases, the opthamologist may prescribe an oral steroid such as prednisone. However, in most cases, a steroid eye drop is enough to reduce the inflammation and discomfort associated with iritis.

      At home, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help to relieve pain from iritis as well.

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