Vitritis

Inflammation of the vitreous body of the eye

Vitritis is an inflammatory condition affecting the vitreous body of the eye. It is characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells within the vitreous humor, leading to a condition commonly referred to as "vitreous haze." This condition can result in blurred vision and floaters, and it is often associated with other ocular inflammatory diseases.

Pathophysiology

The vitreous body is a clear, gel-like substance that fills the space between the lens and the retina in the eye. In vitritis, inflammatory cells infiltrate this space, causing cloudiness and visual disturbances. The inflammation can be due to infectious or non-infectious causes, and it often occurs in conjunction with other forms of uveitis, such as anterior uveitis or posterior uveitis.

Causes

Vitritis can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Infectious causes:

 * Toxoplasmosis
 * Cytomegalovirus retinitis
 * Herpes simplex virus
 * Tuberculosis

• Non-infectious causes:

 * Sarcoidosis
 * Behçet's disease
 * Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease
 * Idiopathic uveitis

Symptoms

Patients with vitritis may experience a range of symptoms, including:

• Blurred vision
• Floaters
• Photophobia (sensitivity to light)
• Eye pain (less common)

Diagnosis

Vitritis in the eye

The diagnosis of vitritis is primarily clinical, based on the presence of vitreous haze observed during an eye examination. An ophthalmologist may use a slit lamp to examine the eye and assess the degree of inflammation. Additional tests, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) or fluorescein angiography, may be used to evaluate the extent of inflammation and rule out other conditions.

Treatment

The treatment of vitritis depends on the underlying cause. For infectious causes, appropriate antimicrobial therapy is administered. For non-infectious causes, treatment may involve:

• Corticosteroids: These are often used to reduce inflammation. They can be administered orally, topically, or via injection into the eye.
• Immunosuppressive drugs: In cases where corticosteroids are insufficient or cause significant side effects, immunosuppressive agents may be used.
• Biologic agents: These are newer treatments that target specific components of the immune system.

Prognosis

The prognosis for vitritis varies depending on the cause and the promptness of treatment. With appropriate management, many patients experience significant improvement in symptoms. However, chronic or recurrent vitritis can lead to complications such as cataracts or glaucoma.

Related pages

• Uveitis
• Retinitis
• Choroiditis
• Endophthalmitis