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Iridocyclitis, a type of anterior uveitis
Uveitis

Uveitis specifically refers to inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, termed the "uvea" but in common usage may refer to any inflammatory process involving the interior of the eye, with inflammation specifically of the uvea termed iridocyclitis....
, is a condition in which the uvea
Uvea

The uvea , also called the uveal layer, uveal coat, uveal tract, or vascular tunic, is the pigmented middle of the three concentric layers that make up an eye....
 of the eye
Human eye

The human eye is a significant human sense organ. It allows humans conscious light perception, vision, which includes color differentiation and the perception of depth....
 suffers inflammation
Inflammation

Inflammation is the complex biological response of Blood vessel tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue....
.

Causes
Iridocyclitis is usually caused by direct exposure of the eyes to chemicals, particularly lachrymators, but can also be caused by ocular viral infection such as herpes zoster
Herpes zoster

Herpes zoster , commonly known as shingles, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe....
 (i.e. herpetic iridocyclitis).

Acute or chronic Acute: Sudden symptomatic onset, lasting no more than six weeks. Chronic: Persisting for more than six weeks, possibly asymptomatic.






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Encyclopedia


Iridocyclitis, a type of anterior uveitis
Uveitis

Uveitis specifically refers to inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, termed the "uvea" but in common usage may refer to any inflammatory process involving the interior of the eye, with inflammation specifically of the uvea termed iridocyclitis....
, is a condition in which the uvea
Uvea

The uvea , also called the uveal layer, uveal coat, uveal tract, or vascular tunic, is the pigmented middle of the three concentric layers that make up an eye....
 of the eye
Human eye

The human eye is a significant human sense organ. It allows humans conscious light perception, vision, which includes color differentiation and the perception of depth....
 suffers inflammation
Inflammation

Inflammation is the complex biological response of Blood vessel tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue....
.

Symptoms


Symptoms include:

  • Photophobia
    Photophobia

    Photophobia is a symptom of excessive sensitivity to light and the aversion to sunlight or well-lit places. In medical terms it is not fear, but an experience of discomfort or pain to the eyes due to light exposure....
  • Redness
    Red eye (medicine)

    In medicine, red eye is a non-specific term to describe an eye that appears red due to illness, injury, or some other condition. "Conjunctival injection" and "bloodshot eyes" are two forms of red eye....
  • Watering of the eyes
    Tears

    Tears are the liquid product of a process of lacrimation to clean and lubricate the eyes. The word lacrimation may also be used in a medical or literary sense to refer to crying....
  • Lacrimation
  • Miosis
    Miosis

    Miosis is constriction of the pupil of the eye. This is a normal response to an increase in light but can also be associated with certain pathological conditions, microwave radiation exposure and certain drugs....
    , constriction of the pupil
    Pupil

    The pupil is the sphere that is located in the center of the Iris of the eye and that controls the amount of light that enters the eye. It appears black because most of the light entering the pupil is absorbed by the biological tissue inside the eye....
  • Blurred vision
    Blurred vision

    Blurred vision is an ocular symptom....
  • Synechia
    Synechia

    A synechia is an eye condition where the Iris adheres to either the cornea or Lens . Synechiae can be caused by ocular Physical trauma, iritis or iridocyclitis and may lead to certain types of glaucoma....


Causes


Iridocyclitis is usually caused by direct exposure of the eyes to chemicals, particularly lachrymators, but can also be caused by ocular viral infection such as herpes zoster
Herpes zoster

Herpes zoster , commonly known as shingles, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe....
 (i.e. herpetic iridocyclitis).

Types


There are six classifications of iridocyclitis.

Acute or chronic

Acute: Sudden symptomatic onset, lasting no more than six weeks. Chronic: Persisting for more than six weeks, possibly asymptomatic. Chronic iridocyclitis is usually associated with systemic disorders including ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis It is a member of the group of the spondyloarthropathy with a strong genetic predisposition. Complete fusion results in a complete rigidity of the spine, a condition known as bamboo spine....
, Behçet's syndrome
Behçet's disease

Beh?et disease is a chronic condition due to disturbances in the body?s immune system. This system, which normally protects the body against infections through controlled inflammation, becomes overactive and produces unpredictable outbreaks of exaggerated inflammation....
, inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel disease

In medicine, inflammatory bowel disease is a group of inflammation conditions of the colon and small intestine. The major types of IBD are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.....
, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Reiter's syndrome, sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis, also called sarcoid or Besnier-Boeck disease, is a multisystem disorder characterized by non-caseating granulomas . It most commonly arises in young adults....
, syphilis
Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The route of transmission of syphilis is almost always through sexual contact, although there are examples of congenital syphilis via transmission from mother to child in utero....
, tuberculosis
Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a common and often deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacterium, mainly Mycobacterium tuberculosis . Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect the central nervous system, the lymphatic system, the circulatory system, the genitourinary system, the gastrointestinal system, bones, joints, and even the...
, and Lyme disease
Lyme disease

Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia....
.

Exogenous or endogenous

Exogenous: Related to external damage to the uvea or invasion of external microbes Endogenous: Related to internal microbes

Granulomatous or non-granulomatous

Granulomatous: Accompanied by large keratotic precipitates Non-granulomatous: Accompanied by smaller keratotic precipitates

Treatment


Iridocyclitis can be effectively treated with tropane alkaloid
Tropane alkaloid

Tropane alkaloids, also known as Belladonna alkaloids are a class of alkaloids and secondary metabolites that contain a tropane ring in their chemical structure....
s or steroids.

To immobilize the iris
Iris (anatomy)

The iris is a membrane in the eye, responsible for controlling the amount of light reaching the retina. The iris consists of pigmented fibrovascular tissue known as a stroma of iris....
 and decrease pain, one may find tropane alkaloids effective, particularly scopolamine
Scopolamine

Scopolamine, known by the names levo-duboisine and hyoscine, is a tropane alkaloid Medication with muscarinic antagonist effects. It is obtained from plants of the family Solanaceae , such as henbane, jimson weed and Angel's Trumpets , and corkwood ....
 and atropine
Atropine

Atropine is a tropane alkaloid extracted from deadly nightshade , jimsonweed , Mandrake and other plants of the family Solanaceae. It is a secondary metabolite of these plants and serves as a hard drug with a wide variety of effects....
 in .25% and 1% concentrations respectively. Topical steroids may be used to decrease inflammation, particularly prednisolone
Prednisolone

Prednisolone is the active metabolite of prednisone....
 and dexamethasone
Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone is a potent synthetic member of the glucocorticoid class of steroid hormones. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drug....
. Upon presentation of a severe case, a subconjunctival steroid injection may be administered.

See also


  • Iritis
    Iritis

    Iritis is a form of anterior uveitis and refers to the inflammation of the iris of the eye....
  • Inflammation
    Inflammation

    Inflammation is the complex biological response of Blood vessel tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue....
  • Uvea
    Uvea

    The uvea , also called the uveal layer, uveal coat, uveal tract, or vascular tunic, is the pigmented middle of the three concentric layers that make up an eye....