New Member
Moderators: Mike Bartolatz, kwork
New Member
Hello, I am a new member and found this site as I was researching uveitis. I have recurrent flare ups of iritis and I wondering if there is some treatment besides taking steroid drops each time that could help lessen and/or prevent flare ups. I was diagnosed with anklyosing spondylitis about 3 years ago and am trying to stay away from the biologics like Humira. Of course this is a personal choice and I understand that many people find relief using these drugs while others have not been able to tolerate it. I am concerned that my current ophthalmologist is not treating my case as aggressively as needed and this may be leading to my recurrent flare ups. Has anyone else had similar issues and what did you do to help reduce or stop the flare ups?
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Mike Bartolatz
- Posts: 6595
- Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:58 pm
Re: New Member
Welcome to the group!
yes there are other drugs that can be tried that can sometimes get your eyes quieted down but you must also get the AS inflammation quieted down in order to keep the eyes quiet once off all steroids without inflammation. there are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of uveitis beyond general ophthalmologists. General ophthalmologists do not have the training to diagnose underlying causes and then to use a steroid sparing approach to treatment. usually the DMARD drugs Methotrexate, Cellcept and Imuran are tried first, then Remicade or Humira are added if you cannot get to Off all steroids without inflammation. the recurrent nature of your uveitis can lead to serious complications when only steroids are used to treat it.
cataracts, glaucoma frequently occur. the longer it is recurrent or chronic the likelihood that other changes to the retina will occur increases. these include Cystoid macular Edema, fluid build up under the macula the part of the eye from which you seek. this can lead to detached retina and epiretinal membrane formation. if you also have severe dry eyes, that too must be treated to prevent damage to the white part of the eye, the Sclera and the Cornea which can become infected if ulceration occurs. options include implantation of plugs into the drains of the eyes called Punctal plugs, use of the topical drug Restasis to get the conjunctiva healed and thus prevent damage to the sclera and the cornea while getting the lacrimal gland to once again produce tears.
a list of uveitis specialists is at http://www.uveitis.org located in the ABOUT THE SUPPPORT group section of the site. you may have to travel to see one of them but it can prevent unnecessary permanent loss of vision or even blindness. your AS related uveitis may well become a lifetime battle so getting to a steroid sparing approach to treatment is needed. the steroid adds up over time to cause cataracts and glaucoma. make sure you get in to get pressure check ups at least once a year as there is NO symptom for glaucoma in most instances until peripheral vision is lost and damage to the optic nerve is done. you can also develop detached retina with bleeding into the eye so watch for BIG BLACK floaters or a curtain coming over your vision. Flashes of light often precede a detaching retina or a detaching vitreous. peripheral vision can be slowly lost with glaucoma which can occur from the cells of inflammation blocking the drains of the eye causing pressure to go up as well as from use of steroids of any kind.
I strongly urge you to consider DMARD drugs and if necessary Remicade which has the best track record when used along with Methotrexate, Cellcept or Imuran in getting the eyes quiet before the long term effects of recurrent and chronic uveitis/iritis cause damage to the eye that cannot be regained.
wishing you the very best,
Mike Bartolatz
yes there are other drugs that can be tried that can sometimes get your eyes quieted down but you must also get the AS inflammation quieted down in order to keep the eyes quiet once off all steroids without inflammation. there are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of uveitis beyond general ophthalmologists. General ophthalmologists do not have the training to diagnose underlying causes and then to use a steroid sparing approach to treatment. usually the DMARD drugs Methotrexate, Cellcept and Imuran are tried first, then Remicade or Humira are added if you cannot get to Off all steroids without inflammation. the recurrent nature of your uveitis can lead to serious complications when only steroids are used to treat it.
cataracts, glaucoma frequently occur. the longer it is recurrent or chronic the likelihood that other changes to the retina will occur increases. these include Cystoid macular Edema, fluid build up under the macula the part of the eye from which you seek. this can lead to detached retina and epiretinal membrane formation. if you also have severe dry eyes, that too must be treated to prevent damage to the white part of the eye, the Sclera and the Cornea which can become infected if ulceration occurs. options include implantation of plugs into the drains of the eyes called Punctal plugs, use of the topical drug Restasis to get the conjunctiva healed and thus prevent damage to the sclera and the cornea while getting the lacrimal gland to once again produce tears.
a list of uveitis specialists is at http://www.uveitis.org located in the ABOUT THE SUPPPORT group section of the site. you may have to travel to see one of them but it can prevent unnecessary permanent loss of vision or even blindness. your AS related uveitis may well become a lifetime battle so getting to a steroid sparing approach to treatment is needed. the steroid adds up over time to cause cataracts and glaucoma. make sure you get in to get pressure check ups at least once a year as there is NO symptom for glaucoma in most instances until peripheral vision is lost and damage to the optic nerve is done. you can also develop detached retina with bleeding into the eye so watch for BIG BLACK floaters or a curtain coming over your vision. Flashes of light often precede a detaching retina or a detaching vitreous. peripheral vision can be slowly lost with glaucoma which can occur from the cells of inflammation blocking the drains of the eye causing pressure to go up as well as from use of steroids of any kind.
I strongly urge you to consider DMARD drugs and if necessary Remicade which has the best track record when used along with Methotrexate, Cellcept or Imuran in getting the eyes quiet before the long term effects of recurrent and chronic uveitis/iritis cause damage to the eye that cannot be regained.
wishing you the very best,
Mike Bartolatz
Mike Bartolatz
Moderator
Moderator