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Panuveitis

Table of Contents

Panuveitis

Inflammation of the whole uveal tract; Total uveitis; Diffuse uveitis

Panuveitis is inflammation of all layers of the uvea of the eye, which includes the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. It can also affect the lens, retina, optic nerve, and vitreous, causing reduced vision or blindness.

Drawing of the Eye

Image by National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health

Summary

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Uveitis: Symptoms

Image by Jonathan Trobe, M.D.

Sensitive content

This media may include sensitive content

Uveitis: Symptoms

Anterior uveitis

Image by Jonathan Trobe, M.D.

What Is Panuveitis?

Panuveitis is inflammation of all layers of the uvea of the eye, which includes the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. These make up the middle layer of the eye. The condition can also affect the lens, retina, optic nerve, and vitreous, causing reduced vision or blindness. Signs and symptoms may include eye redness and pain; blurring; light sensitivity; decreased vision; and seeing floaters. It can last for a short time or can occur chronically. Severe cases may recur many times. In many cases the specific cause is unknown, but in some cases it occurs in association with other eye conditions, or with another condition or infection that also affects other body parts. Early treatment is needed and may include eye drops to reduce inflammation and pain; and/or oral medications or injections in severe cases.

Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

Additional Materials (6)

Uveitis Explained - J. P. Dunn, MD - Wills Eye Hospital

Video by Wills Eye Hospital/YouTube

What do patients experience before and after uveitis treatment?

Video by Clinica London Ltd./YouTube

Non-infectious Posterior and Panuveitis

Video by Moran CORE/YouTube

Unilateral Panuveitis

Video by Mayo Clinic/YouTube

BEHCET'S DISEASE - Explained

Video by AmericanBehcets/YouTube

Uveitis

Video by DrER.tv/YouTube

10:18

Uveitis Explained - J. P. Dunn, MD - Wills Eye Hospital

Wills Eye Hospital/YouTube

5:23

What do patients experience before and after uveitis treatment?

Clinica London Ltd./YouTube

54:58

Non-infectious Posterior and Panuveitis

Moran CORE/YouTube

16:18

Unilateral Panuveitis

Mayo Clinic/YouTube

9:35

BEHCET'S DISEASE - Explained

AmericanBehcets/YouTube

4:44

Uveitis

DrER.tv/YouTube

Symptoms

Ciliary flush

Image by Jonathan Trobe, M.D.

Ciliary flush

Image by Jonathan Trobe, M.D.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Panuveitis?

Signs and symptoms of panuveitis can develop suddenly and may affect one or both eyes. They may include blurred vision; seeing dark, floating spots ("floaters"); eye pain; redness of the eye; and sensitivity to light (photophobia). There may also be a whitish area (called a hypopyon) obscuring the lower part of the iris.

Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

Additional Materials (1)

This patient has loss of hair coloring in the left eyebrow and eyelashes (poliosis) with contiguous vitiligo.

The diagnostic clue in this patient is the telltale loss of hair coloring in the left eyebrow and eyelashes (poliosis) with contiguous vitiligo. Additional features of this syndrome—all of which this patient had—include panuveitis, retinal detachment, pinpoint retinal leaks on fluorescein angiography, and evidence of auditory and central nervous system dysfunction, including aseptic meningitis. Decreased visual acuity is the rule. The cause is uncertain, but immune-mediated damage of melanocyte-containing tissue seems likely. Long-term corticosteroid therapy usually halts further ocular damage and often improves vision.

Image by Herbert L. Fred, MD, Hendrik A. van Dijk/Wikimedia

This patient has loss of hair coloring in the left eyebrow and eyelashes (poliosis) with contiguous vitiligo.

Herbert L. Fred, MD, Hendrik A. van Dijk/Wikimedia

Cause

Idiopathic - Unknown

Image by PaliGraficas/Pixabay

Idiopathic - Unknown

Image by PaliGraficas/Pixabay

What Causes Panuveitis?

Panuveitis can be associated with an underlying condition, or it may occur by itself without the cause being known (idiopathic). Possible causes may include an attack from the body's own immune system (autoimmunity); an infection or tumor within the eye or in another part of the body; injury to the eye; and toxins that may penetrate the eye. Specific conditions that have been associated with panuveitis include tuberculosis; Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome; sympathetic ophthalmia; Behcet's disease; and sarcoidosis. The signs and symptoms of the condition are due to inflammatory responses inside the eye.

Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

Inheritance

Iritis

Image by Paul S UK/Wikimedia

Iritis

Myself with a case of Iritis of the right eye. Images show the eye with the initial problem and the eye during treatment with steroid anti-inflammatory eye drops and dilating eye drops. Dilation of the pupil (as a result of the on-going treatment) is clearly shown in the second image.

Image by Paul S UK/Wikimedia

How Is Panuveitis Inherited?

associated with uveitis (e.g. sarcoidosis, ankylosing spondylitis). We are not aware of reports of familial cases of panuveitis specifically, and to our knowledge, no gene responsible for the condition has been identified.

Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

Treatment

Instilling eye medication

Image by British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)

Instilling eye medication

A medical professional applies eye drops to the eye.

Image by British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)

How Might Panuveitis Be Treated?

Panuveitis may be treated in several ways, including injections around the eye, oral medications, and eye drops. Corticosteroids are the treatment of choice for most types of uveitis, including panuveitis. Depending on the severity of the disease, oral prednisolone is typically started in a larger dose, and then is tapered off a few weeks after starting therapy as inflammation improves. A maintenance dose is typically used thereafter.

Immunomodulating drugs (drugs that alter the body's immune response) are needed if the inflammation cannot be controlled with corticosteroids or if active inflammation interferes with activities of daily living. Cycloplegics (eye drops that temporarily paralyze the ciliary body) are used to help with pain due to ciliary spasms.

Forms of uveitis due to infectious agents are treated by specific antimicrobial therapy (antibiotics, antiparasitics or antivirals), with or without corticosteroids.

Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

Prognosis

Uveitis background

Image by Pmangat/Wikimedia

Uveitis background

Uveitis background

Image by Pmangat/Wikimedia

What Is the Long-Term Outlook for People with Panuveitis?

Uveitis can rapidly damage the eye and cause long-term, vision-threatening complications. The most frequent complications include:

Cataract
Glaucoma
Retinal detachment
Neovascularization of the retina, optic nerve, or iris
Cystoid macular edema (the most common cause of decreased vision in patients with uveitis)

Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

Related HealthJournals

Uveitis

Uveitis is a general term describing a group of inflammatory diseases that produces swelling and destroys eye tissues. These diseases can slightly reduce vision or lead to severe vision loss. Learn more about the possible causes, symptoms, and treatments for uveitis.

Behçet’s Disease

Behçet’s disease causes inflammation of the blood vessels and causes problems in many parts of the body, including sores in the mouth and the swelling of joints. Learn about other symptoms of Behçet's disease and how it's diagnosed and treated.

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Panuveitis

Panuveitis is inflammation of all layers of the uvea of the eye, which includes the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. It can also affect the lens, retina, optic nerve, and vitreous, causing reduced vision or blindness.

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