Most people have experienced minor eye inflammation from time to time, with symptoms of eye redness, swelling, discomfort, watery discharge, itchiness, sensitivity to light and blurred vision. While most cases are mild and temporary, there is a potential risk for vision loss, and it can be difficult to recognize when the problem has crossed the line from unpleasant irritation to emergency.
According to Narsing Rao, M.D., professor of ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and director of the Inflammation and Uveitis Service at the Doheny Eye Institute, most cases of ocular inflammation are the result of a mild infection or exposure to environmental allergens like dust, pollen or smog. These conditions often can be treated effectively with over-the-counter eye drops, such as Visine or Bausch & Lomb products.
To prevent minor eye inflammation, Rao recommends common sense and paying careful attention to personal hygiene:
» Avoid touching your eyes whenever possible, especially when performing household tasks like cooking meat or handling pet waste.
» Flush out any foreign objects or chemicals from your eyes immediately.
Rao urges patients to seek immediate treatment:
» if eye redness is accompanied by vision problems, acute pain or a change in the appearance of the cornea—the transparent front part of the eye.
» if any symptoms persist for longer than a day or two after treatment with over-the-counter eye drops.
In such cases, he recommends making an immediate emergency appointment with an ophthalmologist, if possible, or go to the emergency room for treatment.
Since eye inflammation can point to more serious medical conditions, the most important step in treatment is to assess the cause and degree of the problem. Of particular concern is the possibility of inflammation of the interior of the eye, or uveitis. Persistent intraocular inflammation can indicate the presence of serious viruses, bacterial infections or genetic conditions, autoimmune diseases, or even cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and retinoblastoma.
If untreated, uveitis can lead to serious complications including retinal damage, glaucoma, cataracts and even permanent loss of vision. The typical treatment is the administration of corticosteroids, particularly among cases in which the cause of uveitis is unknown. But in patients with infectious uveitis caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi, the standard steroid treatment can actually cause the infectious agent level to increase.
Rao is working on research to develop alternative treatments for those who suffer from the potentially serious side effects of steroid treatments like diabetes, high blood pressure, bone fracture and weight gain. Investigating ocular inflammation at the molecular level, he also hopes one day to prevent irreversible retina damage caused by uveitis through the administration of small protein molecules called crystallins. |
