Panuveitis

Did You Know?

• Non-specific treatment measures include cycloplegics, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressive drugs.
• Biologic drugs used in treatment include anti-tumor necrosis factor, cytokine receptor antibodies, and interferon-α.
• If an underlying cause is identified, treatment should be directed at that disease.

Causes

Doctors often cannot pinpoint why panuveitis develops. It can stem from an outside infection, an internal infection, an injury, or an autoimmune condition. Internal infections like syphilis, tuberculosis, mumps, smallpox, influenza, toxoplasmosis, lupus, and sarcoidosis are possible triggers, along with immune-related inflammations such as Behcet syndrome or Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease. The condition may also arise from an eye wound or ulcer, spread from other eye tissues, or as a complication of intraocular surgeries like cataract, glaucoma, or vitreoretinal procedures.

Diagnosis

Panuveitis involves inflammation across the entire uveal tract, including the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. Diagnosis requires clinical signs of anterior uveitis and choroiditis. A slit lamp exam may show vitreous or aqueous cells, flare, and keratic precipitates.