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Dr. Sanjay Kedhar is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in the medical and surgical management of patients with uveitis and other autoimmune and infectious eye diseases.
In this Q&A, he discusses the causes, symptoms and treatments of uveitis along with why patients should see a uveitis specialist versus a general ophthalmologist.
The ophthalmology department at UC Irvine Health has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in patient care, research and technological innovation.
I’m excited to be a part of the team as the department continues its mission to provide cutting-edge eye care to the Orange County community and pursue groundbreaking research that will help all patients.
Uveitis is an inflammation of the eye that typically affects the iris, ciliary body or choroid. Other structures, such as the retina and cornea, can also be involved. It is the third-leading cause of blindness in the United States.
There are approximately 60 different causes of uveitis.
The symptoms of uveitis vary, depending on the location of the inflammation in the eye. Symptoms may be:
The treatment for uveitis depends on the individual patient and the underlying cause of their inflammation, but can range from antibiotic therapy to local steroid injections or implants to systemic immunosuppressive therapy (chemotherapy).
Uveitis affects women and men from all age groups and all races.
Since uveitis is a relatively rare condition and there are many things that can cause it, it’s essential to see a specialist who has experience doing the investigative work necessary to find an underlying disease.
In addition, patients should seek out a uveitis specialist who has experience using immunosuppressive medications, since their use in some diseases is associated with better long-term outcomes, and in some cases, remission.
Rheumatologists, infectious disease specialists, oncologists, ophthalmologists (mostly pediatric, vitreoretinal and comprehensive eye care).