Uveitis/OID is the Third Leading Cause of Blindness

By C. Stephen Foster, MD, FACS, FACR

Did you know that Uveitis/OID is the third leading cause of blindness in developed countries? It is the third leading cause of blindness because patients are left on chronic steroid therapy, which causes vision-robbing problems of glaucoma and cataract, or they are not completely controlled by their inflammation. Chronic low grade or severe inflammation will cause macular edema, optic nerve damage, glaucoma, cataract, synechiae, and other vision-robbing complications.

The American Uveitis Society developed guidelines for care that involve a step ladder approach to treatment moving patients from steroids. Such therapies include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, immunosuppressive chemotherapy, or biologics when the drug categories fail to prevent unnecessary blindness.