Overview
Eye inflammation is a condition where one or both eyes become inflamed. This condition can become serious if not treated.
There are different treatments for eye inflammation, many of which include medicine. The Rx Advocates want to help you better afford the medications you need so your eye inflammation does not get out of control.
A Look at Eye Inflammation
Eye inflammation, also called uveitis, is a general group of conditions that affect the eyes. They cause inflammation, redness, and pain in one or both eyes. Eye inflammation can affect any part of the eye:
- Sclera: The outer white part.
- Uvea: The middle layer. This includes the iris, choroid, and ciliary body.
- Retina: The inner layer. This is where the eyes sense light and colors. The retina sends images to the brain.
Eye inflammation can affect people of all ages. A slightly higher risk has been found for those between the ages of 40 and 60 and for women.
Different Types of Eye Inflammation
There are a few different types of inflammatory eye diseases. Those are:
- Uveitis: This is a general term for eye inflammation. This affects the uvea. It can be acute (short term) or chronic (long term). It can be a serious condition that could lead to permanent vision loss.
- Keratitis: This is also called a corneal ulcer as it affects the cornea. This is the clear, dome-shaped area that covers the iris and pupil in the front of the eyes. This is caused by infections from fungi, bacteria, parasites, or viruses.
- Conjunctivitis: Also called pink eye, this affects the conjunctiva. That is the clear mucous membrane inside the eyelid and covering the white part of the eye. In the U.S., this is the most common eye infection.
- Thyroid Eye Disease (TED): Also known as Graves’ ophthalmopathy or Graves’ Eye Disease. This is an autoimmune disease that stimulates fat and muscle production behind the eye. It causes swelling and inflammation. It is typically caused by an overactive thyroid gland.
Eye Inflammation Causes
Researchers have not pinpointed a clear cause for eye inflammation, in general.
However, some cases have been linked to uveitis.
- Autoimmune disease:
- Multiple sclerosis
- Ulcerative colitis
- Lupus
- AIDS
- Psoriasis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease
- Bechet’s disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Infections:
- Shingles
- Histoplasmosis
- Toxoplasmosis
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis
- Reactive arthritis
- Syphilis
- Lyme disease
- Cat-scratch fever
- Certain cancers that affect the eye such as lymphoma
- Inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s
- Injuries or surgeries
Symptoms of Eye Inflammation
There are a few signs and symptoms of eye inflammation. Those include:
- Blurry vision
- Floating spots in the eyes
- Eye pain
- Red eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Decreased vision
Treatments
Eye inflammation can usually be treated with medicine. This could include:
- Antibiotics, antivirals, or antifungals treat an infection that could be the cause of the inflammation
- Eye drops
- Steroidal anti-inflammatories
- Immunosuppressants
It could also be treated with injections around the eye or by surgery.
If not treated properly and promptly, eye inflammation can lead to blindness.
Medications
Many different medications can be prescribed for eye inflammation. Those include:
- Topical corticosteroids
- Decadron (Dexamethasone)
- Flarex (Fluorometholone)
- Prednisolone
- Vexol (Rimexolone)
- Antihistamines
- Mast cell stabilizers
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Anti-Inflammatory eye drops
Help With Medications
At The Rx Advocates, we understand that medications can be expensive. We want to help people keep eye inflammation under control. We can do this by helping you afford your medications.
