1st diagnosis

[jdc]

Hello. I stumbled across this website and have been using my one good eye to gather as much info as I can about iritis. I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago with a grade 4. Like most people, I thought it was pink eye initially. When I started losing vision, I obviously knew it was more serious. I went to the eye doctor who asked me why I waited so long to come in. I told her it's only been 2 days since my symptoms started. She informs me it was the most severe case she had ever seen after 2 days, and that it's not my first due to scarring. Not off to a good start.
So she starts me on Atropine drops twice a day and pred drops every 2 hours. I go back in the next day with no change, so she starts me on Durezol every 2 hours instead of Pred. After a week, I am down to a grade 3. I'm thinking after another week or two, things will be back to normal. I go back the next week. No change. What?!
So, she makes an appointment with a retina specialist who orders me to use the Durezol once every hour(!) and come back in a week. Well, tomorrow makes a week. The injection is waiting for me if I don't have significant improvement. I am planning on getting it. I have no noticeable improvement in vision or redness after 3 total weeks of Durezol(2 weeks of one drop every 2 hours, and 1 of those weeks being one drop every hour). I will find out the results of my bloodwork tomorrow also. I have had 20/20 vision and zero health problems in my life. I am 35 now.
Just an FYI, my father has RA. His father did as well. They started at 35. My dad has had iritis 3 times. My worry is the doctors are exremely concerned about the severity of mine and the fact that it's not responding to treatment. I was told it should be better by now. I am hoping the injection will work. If not, what is typically the next step? Also, how long should it be after getting it that I should start to see some improvement? Frustrated and trying to cope. Thanks for any info and help.
Jason

[Mike Bartolatz]

Jason,

usually the next step would be a corticosteroid injection to tissue SURROUNDING the eye (not into it) or oral steroids as long as pathogens have been ruled out.
it would be time to test you for biological markers in your blood too for autoimmune diseases and pathogens. it might be that you have the HLA B27 gene found in some forms of arthritis and GI problems along with iritis.
you might also consider getting a Uveitis specialist involved with your multiple family member situation with uveitis and arthritis. if it is autoimmune in nature Disease Modifying Anti rheumatic Drugs, DMARD such as Methotrexate, cellcept etc might put this into remission. even Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs might put it into remission such as Celebrex, Difusinal or Naproxen at prescription strength over two years.
there are MANY options of medications to try depending on the cause of your uveitis. there is a list of specialists at http://www.uveitis.org located in the PATIENT information section of the site On the SPECIALIST list. these opthalmologists have fellowship level training in the diagnosis and treatment Of Ocular Inflammatory diseases.

please join us in our ongoing discussion forums. click on BOARD INDEX at the top of the page to be redirected to our forums. ask questions as they develop as nothin is too trivial to ask,

wishing you the very best,
mike Bartolatz