Uveitic Glaucoma

Uveitis is the term for intraocular inflammation. Inflammation is one of the body’s most important normal functions. Healing and tissue repair are part of the inflammatory process. However, sometimes the inflammatory process causes unwanted side effects. Inside the eye, uveitis may cause formation of scar tissue that damages intraocular structures. Scar formation may block the normal flow of fluid inside the eye from the pump to drain. Inflammation may decrease the function of the pump and the drains themselves. Ultimately, this process may cause high intraocular pressure and optic nerve damage from glaucoma. Often, anti-inflammatory medicines called corticosteroids are used to treat uveitis. Unfortunately, as a side effect, these medicines may cause elevated intraocular pressure independent of the uveitis they are used to treat. Therefore, in some cases both the problem, uveitis, and the treatment, corticosteroids, cause glaucoma.