Specialist near Pittsburgh

Find an iritis/uveitis doctor close to you.

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Denise
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 3:33 pm

Specialist near Pittsburgh

Post by Denise »

I have had anterior uveitis five times starting in June 2004, twice in the right eye and three times in the left. In addition to steroid eye drops and steroid pills, I have had four steroid injections. I have had bloodwork and x-rays, but no underlying cause has been found. I do have the HLA B27 marker. Last week I found out that I have a cataract in my left eye (I have been on steroid drops daily in my left eye since 2008). My cataract is not bad, but I am sad to have one when I am only 34. And, although it is not bad, there is an obvious difference between my vision a month ago and my vision now. My doctor's only recommendation for avoiding future flare ups is to avoid stress. I try to avoid stress as best as I can and I do not live a stressful life, but it is hard to stay stress-free all of the time. I want to avoid getting a cataract in my right eye, if possible, and therefore want to try treatment with NSAIDs. I live in Pittsburgh and can travel to Ohio (as far as Columbus), Maryland, or Northern Virginia. I have read and researched the uveitis specialists in those areas, but I cannot tell which would be the best one for someone with recurring anterior uveitis and a cataract. Your advice would be appreciated. thanks!
Mike Bartolatz
Posts: 6595
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:58 pm

Re: Specialist near Pittsburgh

Post by Mike Bartolatz »

DR Quan Nguyen is an excellent Ocular Immunologist AND retina Specialist in Baltimore. Dr Dino Klisovic is in Columbus ohio. If I were you I would travel to seen one of them. Quan is perhaps a bit better than Dino but both are very good ocular immunoloigsts fellowship trained by Dr Foster In Boston and Harvard Medical School in Ocular immunology.
once you are on the DMARD drugs for about six months you should know whether it will work to keep your eyes quiet. then it would be about 2 years off all steroids without inflammation before you can slowly taper off the NSAID. Celebrex, Difusinal and Naproxen are the drugs most used by DR Foster for HLA B27 and autoimmune uveitis. If this fails, the he moves on to Methotrexate or cellcept or Imuran alone or in combination with Remicade or Humira. sometimes he has to employ other meds.
all of this is predicated on you being healthy enough to endure the two to three years of treatment,
the cataract growth may stop once you are off all steroids without inflammation.
I have an anxiety problem and depression and take meds which help keep me stress free. My eyes have finally quieted down but I am also an
older person. My uveitis started whe I was young and I lost significant vision to this stuff becase I was only given steroids.

I'll be her to help you throught this. Please know that you are NOT ALONE!

Wishing you quiet eyes,
Mike Bartolatz
Mike Bartolatz
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Denise
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 3:33 pm

Re: Specialist near Pittsburgh

Post by Denise »

Thank you so much for your help!! Those were the two doctors I was debating between based on what I have read in various forums. I would like to get started right away, but the earliest appts that Dr. Nguyen has are at the end of September! Fingers crossed that I am flare-up free during the next two months. Of course the stress of discovering that I have a cataract in my left eye might cause a flare-up sooner! Argh. Thank you for sharing the information on the various drugs. Very few people that I run into have any idea what uveitis is, so it's nice to find a good resource.
Mike Bartolatz
Posts: 6595
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:58 pm

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Post by Mike Bartolatz »

if your eyes do flare up a lot, please send an email indicating the I've sent you through Dr Foster's online support groups and if at all possible could they please put you on the list for cancellations.

Good luck with this and try not to stress out too much. for some reason many individuals who have anxiety also get flare ups of their uveitis. there is help available through varous drugs. I take both to keep me running on all cylinders ;-)

Take care,
mike

PS: Quan is an excellent Choice msb
Mike Bartolatz
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