Uveitis is a broad term for many problems with your eye. What they have in common is eye inflammation and swelling that can damage eye tissues. That damage can lead to poor vision or blindness. About 10% of legal blindness in the U.S. is linked to this kind of damage.

The word “uveitis” is used because the swelling most often affects the part of your eye called the uvea.

Your eye is made of layers. The uvea is the middle layer. It’s between the white part of your eye — called the sclera — and the inner layers of your eye.

Your uvea contains three important structures:

The iris. That’s the colored circle at the front of your eye.

The ciliary body. This is a ring of tissue behind your iris that makes fluid and has muscles that can change the shape of your lens, allowing you to focus.

The choroid. This is a group of blood vessels that give your retina the nutrients it needs. It sits behind the iris and ciliary body.

When you have uveitis, you may also have inflammation beyond the uvea, including in your eye fluid and your retina. That’s the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye that sends images to your brain.

Which type of uveitis you have depends on where the swelling is.

Anterior uveitis

This is the most common, making up about 80% of cases. It affects the iris, at the front of your eye. It often causes symptoms visible to you and other people. It’s the least likely to damage your vision. But if it lasts a long time or keeps returning, you face higher risks of complications.

Intermediate uveitis

This affects your ciliary body and the gel that fills your eye. This type might not be noticeable to others but affects how well you see.

Posterior uveitis

This affects the choroid as well as the retina, in the back of your eye. This form is rare. It poses a greater risk to your vision than anterior or intermediate uveitis.

Panuveitis

This type affects all parts of the uvea, from the front to the back of the eye. It can come with all the symptoms and all the risks of uveitis in the front, middle, and back of the eye. It poses a significant risk to your vision. But the outcome depends on the underlying cause, how severe the inflammation is, and how effectively it’s treated.

Many things can cause uveitis, and they’re all tied to inflammation.

The most common causes are:

• Infections, in your eye or elsewhere in your body
• Injuries to the eye, including from surgery
• Medications
• Medical problems affecting many parts of your body

For example, uveitis can be caused by autoimmune diseases, which are conditions in which your immune system attacks your own body tissue. Those attacks can cause widespread inflammation, including in your eyes. Tumors in your eye or other parts of your body can also inflame the uvea.

Folks with certain gene combinations and those who smoke seem to be at greater risk. You can get uveitis at any age, but it’s most common between ages 20 and 60.

Some diseases also raise the risk, including:

• AIDS
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Behcet’s disease
• CMV retinitis
• Herpes zoster infection
• Histoplasmosis
• Kawasaki disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
• Reactive arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sarcoidosis
• Syphilis
• Toxoplasmosis
• Tuberculosis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease

Symptoms can affect one or both eyes, and they may come on quickly. In some cases, they happen more gradually. Your symptoms will depend on where the inflammation is in your eye and how severe it is.

The warning signs include:

• Red eyes
• Eye pain
• Blurred vision
• Reduced vision
•  Sensitivity to light
• Floaters (tiny dots or specks in your vision)

In some cases, you might also have:

• Changes in the shape of your pupils
• White liquid pooling at the bottom of your eye
• Gaps or missing sections in your vision

If you have any of these, it’s important to see your eye doctor. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can help save your vision.

Your eye doctor will want to know about your medical history and overall health. This is because uveitis can be a result of other diseases. They’ll give you a thorough eye exam, which could include checking your eye pressure and taking pictures of the inside of your eyes.

They also may order:

• Blood tests, to look for infections, immune changes, or other possible causes
• X-rays or other imaging tests to look for other medical conditions

The first step, especially if you have anterior uveitis, may be eye drops that have medicine — usually a corticosteroid — to fight inflammation. You might get dilating eye drops to prevent scarring, relax your eye muscles, and cut eye twitches. If the drops don’t work, your doctor may add a pill or injection.

If an infection causes your uveitis, you’ll get other drugs, too. These infection fighters include antibiotics and antivirals.

If you don’t get better with those treatments, or if your uveitis is severe, your doctor may prescribe stronger drugs. These drugs may include immunosuppressives. Those dampen your immune system. You’d use them with corticosteroids.

If you have intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis, you may start treatment with injections, oral medications, or an immunosuppressive drug. Your doctor might also suggest an implantable device that slowly releases medication.

In some cases, your doctor may recommend a procedure to remove some of the gel-like substance in your eye called vitreous.

Your treatment may also include management of any underlying conditions, like autoimmune diseases.

Treatment is important and can prevent serious complications. Make sure you report any new symptom to your doctor and go to your follow-up visits.

If you notice changes in your vision or how your eyes look or feel, talk to your eye doctor. Changes like redness, pain, blurred vision, and floaters sometimes point to uveitis. Uveitis is a potentially serious condition that can threaten your sight. Getting a timely diagnosis and treatment can help protect your sight.

Can uveitis be cured?

Treatment for uveitis can’t cure it directly. But some of the conditions that lead to uveitis are curable. So treating that condition may stop the eye inflammation.

Can I live a normal life with uveitis?

Yes. If you have a single episode of uveitis and get it treated, you are unlikely to lose vision. If you have lasting or repeated bouts of inflammation, you’ll need ongoing treatment. You can reduce your risk of vision loss by sticking to the treatment plan.

How long can uveitis last?

It depends on the cause, the location, and other factors. In general, mild inflammation at the front of your eye can clear up quickly, especially if the cause, like an infection, goes away. But in other situations, uveitis can last months or years or keep coming back. If that happens, you’ll need ongoing or repeated treatment.