Definition
Iridocyclitis is an inflammation of the eye, which simultaneously affects the iris and the ciliary body (respectively the anterior and intermediate part of the uvea).
Possible causes of the disease include infections, eye trauma, allergic reactions and autoimmune disorders. Iridocyclitis can occur in the context of general diseases of the body, such as diabetes mellitus, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis and brucellosis.
Most common symptoms and signs *
- anisocoria
- Movable bodies
- Ocular pain
- Fotofobia
- hypopyon
- Tearing
- Miosi
- Eyes reddened
- Corneal opacity
- Elevated intraocular pressure
- Reduced vision
- scotomas
- Blurred vision
Further indications
The symptoms that characterize iridocyclitis include pain in the affected eye, tearing, hypersensitivity to light, perception of loose bodies, conjunctival hyperemia and blurred vision.
The iris is congested, with pupil in miosis and nodules on the surface, while the crystalline has pigments and deposits on the front membrane that determine opacity.
The disease can also lead to the appearance of an inflammatory exudate in the anterior chamber of the eye (ipopion). Furthermore, in iridocyclitis, a pupillary irregularity may occur due to the formation of adhesions between iris and crystalline (from the synechiae of the pupil to the atrophy of the same).
Diagnosis typically requires performing a slit-lamp examination and ophthalmoscopy assessment.
Treatment depends on the cause, but is usually based on the use of topical corticosteroids associated with a cycloplegic-mydriatic drug that allows the pupil to dilate and prevent the formation of adhesions. Infectious iridocyclites require specific antimicrobial therapy. On the other hand, serious and refractory cases may require the use of corticosteroids or systemic immunosuppressants.
