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Uveitis
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
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The choroid is located between the outer capsule of the eye and the retina, so it is called the middle layer, vascular or uveal tract of the eye. It consists of three parts: the iris - the anterior part of the vascular tract, the ciliary body - the middle part of the vascular tract and the choroid itself (choroid) - the posterior part.
Uveitis is an inflammatory disease of the vascular membrane, the most common pathology of this area of the eye. Uveitis occurs in 57-30% of cases and is one of the main causes of low vision and blindness (25-30%). The high frequency of uveitis is due to the pronounced branching of blood vessels in the eye and, in connection with this, the slow blood flow in the vascular membrane. All this contributes to the retention of microbes, viruses and other pathological agents that, under certain conditions, cause inflammatory processes. This is the first important feature of the vascular membrane of the eye. Another equally important feature of the vascular membrane of the eye is the separate blood circulation of the anterior (iris and ciliary body) and posterior (vascular membrane proper, choriondea) sections. The anterior section is supplied with blood by the posterior long and anterior ciliary arteries, and the posterior section is supplied by the posterior short ciliary arteries. This contributes to the fact that the anterior and posterior sections of the vascular membrane are usually affected separately. In this regard, iridocyclitis, or anterior uveitis, and choroiditis, or posterior uveitis, occur. However, the presence of vascular anastomoses does not exclude the possibility of their total damage - panuveitis.
The third feature is the different innervation of different parts of the vascular tract of the eye. The iris and ciliary body receive abundant innervation from the first branch of the trigeminal nerve through the ciliary nerves. The choroid has no sensory innervation.
Causes of Uveitis
Uveitis occurs in all countries. Its etiology and distribution are closely related to the living conditions of the population, the circulation of pathogens, and the presence of conditions for the transmission of infection to susceptible individuals.
Data on the frequency of uveitis of various etiologies vary widely, which is due to the epidemiological situation in different areas, methods and assessment criteria used for diagnosis. Over the past twenty years, many reports have appeared on damage to the uveal tract, retina and optic nerve caused by viruses, but it is very difficult to accurately determine the percentage of viral uveitis due to the ambiguous approach to their diagnosis.
[ Symptoms of Uveitis
Symptoms of uveitis may vary depending on the location of the inflammatory process, the body's resistance and the pathogenicity of the microorganism.
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Treatment of uveitis
In cases of uveitis, early etiological diagnosis, timely initiation of etiotropic and pathogenetic treatment with the use of immunocorrective agents and replacement immunotherapy are important for preventing chronic progression, bilateral eye damage and relapses of uveitis.