Uveitis is a general term describing a group of inflammatory diseases affecting the eyes that can lead to slightly reduced vision or severe vision loss if not properly treated. While uveitis may occur at any age, working-aged individuals between 20 – 50 years old are affected most frequently.
The term "uveitis" is used because the diseases often affect a part of the eye called the uvea (i.e. iris, ciliary body and choroid). Nevertheless, uveitis is not limited to the uvea. These diseases may also affect the retina, optic nerve, lens, and vitreous, leading to reduced vision or blindness if not detected and treated.
Uveitis may be localized just to the eye or may occur as part of a systemic inflammatory disease affecting other parts of the body. Uveitis can last for a short (acute) or a long (chronic) time. The most severe forms of uveitis may recur many times during a patient's lifetime but with proper treatment, recurrences can be limited or eliminated altogether.