Uveitis and iritis in Reservoir
Uveitis: a painful, light-sensitive or blurred eye needs prompt care
Uveitis is inflammation inside the eye. Anterior uveitis—often called iritis—affects the front of the eye and may cause redness, pain, light sensitivity and blurred vision.
These symptoms can resemble other eye problems, but uveitis can damage vision without appropriate treatment. It needs prompt assessment and, when suspected or diagnosed, ophthalmology care.
Symptoms
Uveitis can begin over hours or days.
Eye pain and redness
The eye may ache or feel tender, with redness that can be more noticeable around the coloured part of the eye.
Light sensitivity
Bright light may feel unusually uncomfortable or painful. This is more concerning than simple itch or mild irritation.
Blur, floaters or reduced vision
Vision may become blurred or dim, and some types of uveitis can cause dark floating spots or flashes.
Symptoms can affect one or both eyes. Not everyone has the same pattern, and some inflammation at the back of the eye may cause less pain or redness.
Why prompt assessment matters
A red eye with pain, light sensitivity or blur is not a routine red eye.
Contact an optometrist, GP or ophthalmologist promptly for eye pain, persistent redness, significant light sensitivity or a new vision change. If symptoms are severe, vision is suddenly reduced or timely assessment is unavailable, go to an emergency department.
Call triple zero (000) for sudden vision loss or when symptoms are immediately serious and it is unsafe to travel independently. See our Medical & Urgent Eye Care guide.
Do not drive if vision is unsafe. If you wear contact lenses, remove them if you can do so safely and do not resume wear until an eye-care professional advises that it is appropriate.
What causes it?
Often no single cause is found.
Inflammatory conditions
Uveitis can be associated with autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, including some forms of arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Infection or injury
Some infections and previous eye injury or surgery can be associated with inflammation inside the eye.
No identified cause
In many people, testing does not identify a specific underlying cause. That does not make treatment or follow-up less important.
Tell your clinician about current medicines, recent illness or injury, previous episodes and any diagnosed inflammatory, immune or infectious condition. Further medical tests are selected according to the clinical pattern rather than performed routinely for everyone.
Diagnosis and treatment
Uveitis is treated by an ophthalmologist.
An eye examination can assess vision, pupils, eye pressure and signs of inflammation. If uveitis is suspected, referral to an ophthalmologist is needed for diagnosis, treatment and monitoring.
Treatment depends on the part of the eye involved and the cause. It may include prescribed anti-inflammatory or pupil-dilating drops, medicines for an underlying infection or inflammatory condition, or other specialist treatment.
Steroid eye drops can worsen some infections and need professional diagnosis, dosing and monitoring. Use only the medicine prescribed for the current episode, and do not stop or change it without advice from the treating clinician.
Follow-up
Keep every review, even when the eye feels better.
Symptoms can improve before inflammation has fully settled. Follow-up checks help monitor the response, eye pressure and complications such as glaucoma or cataract. Uveitis can recur, so seek prompt care if familiar symptoms return.
For related symptom pathways, see our Red Eyes guide, Flashes and Floaters guide and the pending Blurred Vision guide once published.
Australian patient information
Sources used for this guide
See Healthdirect: Uveitis, Healthdirect: Eye care and the Victorian Government’s Better Health Channel guide to uveitis.
Prompt eye assessment in Reservoir
Redness with pain, light sensitivity or blur?
Call Reservoir Spectacles promptly. If symptoms are severe, vision is suddenly reduced or timely assessment is unavailable, attend an emergency department.