Uveitis Treatment in Malad, Mumbai — Sentra Clinic
Uveitis — inflammation of the uveal tract (iris, ciliary body and choroid) — is one of the leading preventable causes of blindness in working-age adults worldwide. The inflammation damages the eye's internal structures: it can cause cataract, glaucoma, cystoid macular oedema and retinal scarring if not diagnosed accurately and treated promptly. At Sentra Clinic, Malad East, Dr. Rohit Modi (FRCS Glasgow, ICO Fellowship) has the diagnostic expertise and treatment protocols to manage the full spectrum of uveitis — from a straightforward anterior uveitis (iritis) to complex posterior or panuveitis associated with systemic inflammatory disease.
Uveitis is often underdiagnosed — many patients spend months seeing ophthalmologists who treat the symptoms without investigating the cause. At Sentra, we take a systematic approach: classify the type of uveitis anatomically, investigate for systemic cause, treat the inflammation aggressively, manage complications, and monitor for recurrence.
🔴 Eye redness + pain + light sensitivity = may be uveitis. Urgent evaluation needed.
Types of Uveitis
Anterior Uveitis (Iritis / Iridocyclitis)
Inflammation of the iris and ciliary body — the most common type, accounting for 75–80% of uveitis cases. Presents with painful red eye, photophobia, and blurred vision. Slit-lamp examination shows cells and flare in the anterior chamber. Often associated with HLA-B27-positive conditions (ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis) or herpes simplex virus. Responds well to steroid drops when treated promptly.
Intermediate Uveitis (Pars Planitis)
Inflammation of the vitreous and pars plana. Presents with floaters and blurred vision without significant redness or pain. Associated with multiple sclerosis, sarcoidosis. Often requires oral steroids or periocular steroid injections for control. Can cause cystoid macular oedema (CMO) causing significant visual loss if undertreated.
Posterior Uveitis & Pan-Uveitis
Involves the choroid, retina and vitreous — the most visually threatening forms. Causes include toxoplasmosis (most common in India), CMV retinitis (in immunocompromised patients), tuberculosis, Behcet's disease, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome and sympathetic ophthalmia. Requires OCT, fundus fluorescein angiography and systemic workup. Treatment is complex and often requires systemic immunosuppression.
Symptoms of Uveitis
- Red eye — particularly circumcorneal (pericorneal) redness, darker around the limbus
- Eye pain — deep, aching pain, often worsened by light
- Photophobia — significant light sensitivity, often requiring sunglasses indoors
- Blurred vision — from cells in the anterior chamber, vitreous haze, or macular oedema
- Floaters — particularly in intermediate and posterior uveitis
- Small, irregular pupil — from posterior synechiae (adhesions between iris and lens)
- Tearing — reflex lacrimation from ciliary spasm
Uveitis Workup at Sentra Clinic
Not all uveitis has an identifiable systemic cause — 30–50% of anterior uveitis is idiopathic. But for bilateral, recurrent, intermediate or posterior uveitis, a systematic investigation is essential:
- Slit-lamp examination: cells, flare, keratic precipitates (KPs), synechiae, vitreous cells
- Intraocular pressure: raised IOP in herpetic and certain infectious uveitis
- OCT: detecting CMO, choroidal thickness, subretinal fluid
- Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA): leakage patterns in posterior uveitis, vasculitis
- Blood tests: HLA-B27, ACE (sarcoid), chest X-ray/HRCT (TB, sarcoid), Mantoux/IGRA, toxoplasma serology, CMV/HSV titres, ANA, ANCA, rheumatoid factor
- Rheumatology referral: for suspected ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, Behcet's disease or sarcoidosis
Uveitis Treatment
Topical Steroid Drops (Anterior Uveitis)
Prednisolone acetate 1% — the mainstay of anterior uveitis treatment. Started hourly and tapered gradually over 4–6 weeks as the inflammation resolves. Cycloplegic drops (atropine, cyclopentolate) are added to prevent posterior synechiae and reduce ciliary spasm pain. Intraocular pressure is monitored during treatment — steroid-induced glaucoma is a significant risk.
Periocular & Intravitreal Injections
Periocular triamcinolone injection (a steroid depot around the eye) for intermediate uveitis and CMO. Intravitreal injections for refractory posterior uveitis. Provides high local drug concentration without systemic steroid side effects. Performed in Sentra's in-house procedure room under topical anaesthesia.
Systemic Immunosuppression
Oral prednisolone for severe or bilateral uveitis requiring rapid control. Steroid-sparing agents (methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine) for chronic or recurrent uveitis to reduce long-term steroid dependence. These require haematological monitoring and are co-managed with rheumatology where indicated.
Antimicrobials for Infectious Uveitis
Toxoplasma retinochoroiditis: pyrimethamine + sulfadiazine + folinic acid. CMV retinitis: systemic ganciclovir/valganciclovir. Herpetic anterior uveitis: systemic acyclovir/valacyclovir. Tubercular uveitis (highly prevalent in India): anti-TB therapy in four-drug regimen co-ordinated with an internist.
Uveitis Complications — Why Prompt Treatment Matters
- Posterior Synechiae: Adhesions between iris and lens that cause an irregular, non-reacting pupil. Prevented by cycloplegic drops.
- Cataract: Chronic inflammation and steroid use both cause posterior subcapsular cataract. Managed by controlling inflammation before scheduling cataract surgery.
- Glaucoma: Raised IOP from trabecular inflammation or steroid response. Monitored at every uveitis visit.
- Cystoid Macular Oedema (CMO): Fluid in the central retina causing profound central vision loss. Detected on OCT. Treated with periocular/intravitreal steroids or anti-VEGF.
- Band Keratopathy: Calcium deposits in the cornea in chronic uveitis (particularly juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated). Can be removed with chelation.
What Patients Say
"I had recurrent iritis for 3 years — every few months, a red painful eye, steroid drops, and it would come back. No one had investigated why. Dr. Modi tested me for HLA-B27 (positive) and referred me to a rheumatologist who diagnosed ankylosing spondylitis. On biologics for the AS, my uveitis episodes have stopped completely. He solved a problem three other ophthalmologists had managed but never understood."
— Amit Sharma, Malad East · Recurrent Anterior Uveitis — HLA-B27+ / Ankylosing Spondylitis"My wife had toxoplasma retinochoroiditis and was losing central vision rapidly. Dr. Modi diagnosed it on OCT and FFA and started the full toxoplasma treatment regime. The lesion was arrested and her vision stabilised. The speed of diagnosis and treatment decision at Sentra was critical — every week mattered."
— Prakash Verma, Goregaon East · Toxoplasma Posterior UveitisFrequently Asked Questions — Uveitis
Is uveitis curable?
Many types of uveitis — particularly single episodes of anterior uveitis — resolve completely with treatment and do not recur. However, uveitis associated with systemic autoimmune conditions (HLA-B27 diseases, Behcet's, sarcoidosis) tends to be chronic or recurrent and requires long-term management. The goal is to achieve remission, prevent complications, and minimise vision loss over the patient's lifetime.
Is uveitis contagious?
No — the vast majority of uveitis is non-infectious and absolutely not contagious. Even infectious uveitis (toxoplasma, CMV, herpes) results from reactivation of an infection already in the patient's body — not from contact transmission to others.
Can uveitis cause permanent vision loss?
Yes — if untreated or inadequately managed, uveitis causes vision loss through cataract, glaucoma, CMO and retinal scarring. This is why prompt and aggressive treatment at the first episode is critical. Under expert management, most patients with uveitis maintain good vision long-term.
Should I see a rheumatologist if I have uveitis?
If your uveitis is recurrent, bilateral, or associated with systemic symptoms (joint pain, back pain, skin rash, mouth ulcers), a rheumatology workup is essential — because treating the underlying systemic disease is the key to preventing recurrent uveitis. Dr. Modi coordinates with rheumatologists for appropriate referrals from Sentra Clinic.
🔴 Uveitis is urgent. Don't let a red, painful eye wait.
