The natural history of uveitis

Abstract

Inflammatory diseases of the eye were known to the ancients, but only recently have the underlying mechanisms to this problem become better defined. During the middle portion of this century, most cases of uveitis thought to be caused by infectious agents, such as those responsible for syphilis and tuberculosis. Since then, it has become clear that endogenous mechanisms of immunomodulation play an important role in these disorders, which along with environmental and genetic factors make up an important triad. Animals studies have indicated the pivotal role of the T-cell in many of these disorders. The development of T-cell lines has helped to further delineate cell to cell interactions that occur during an ocular inflammatory event. The presence in the eye of uveitogenic antigens raises the strong possibility of autoimmune driven processes as well, similar to what is seen in the animal models. The better understanding of ocular inflammatory mechanisms has led to improved therapeutic strategies, including Sandimmune, and more recently Cyclosporine G, a related compound that may be less nephrotoxic. Newer therapeutic strategies will focus on even more novel modes of immunomodulation, probably without the use of medications.

Pattern of uveitis in a referral centre in Tunisia, North Africa

“…1 Our findings, together with those from previous reports from developed and developing countries, revealed in patients with uveitis a significant rate of visual impairment, related to numerous causes, particularly cystoid macular oedema and cataract.…”

“…It affects people from all parts of the world, and it is a significant cause of severe visual impairment, accounting for 10% of blindness in the Western world. 1 The pattern of uveitis is largely influenced by a multitude of factors, including genetic, ethnic, geographic, and environmental factors, diagnostic criteria, and referral patterns. 2 It also changes over time with the emergence or identification of newer uveitic entities and improvement of diagnostic techniques.…”

Direct and indirect resource use, healthcare costs and work force absence in patients with non‐infectious intermediate, posterior or panuveitis

“…Overall, uveitis is estimated to cause approximately 5–15% of blindness in the United States and Europe, making it approximately the 5th or 6th leading cause of preventable blindness (Nussen‐blatt1990; Rothova et al. 1996; Suttorp‐Schulten & Rothova 1996; Durrani et al.…”

Key role for IL-21 in experimental autoimmune uveitis

“…Uveitis is a group of sight-threatening idiopathic intraocular inflammatory diseases including Behçet's disease, birdshot retinochoroidopathy, sympathetic ophthalmia, Vogt-KoyanagiHarada, and ocular sarcoidosis, which may be of infectious or autoimmune etiology (27). Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) shares pathological features with human uveitis, and much of our understanding of the etiology and pathophysiology of this disease derives from studies of EAU (27,28).…”

“…Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) shares pathological features with human uveitis, and much of our understanding of the etiology and pathophysiology of this disease derives from studies of EAU (27,28). EAU can be induced in susceptible rodent species by immunization with the retinal protein, interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) (Materials and Methods).…”