Acute and chronic iridocyclitis: treatment, symptoms, drugs

This fairly common eye disease presents many problems and inconveniences to a multitude of patients seeking help from ophthalmologists. What is iridocyclitis, the symptoms and treatment of this disease - all this is described in detail in the article.

Iridocyclitis: what is it?

Under the fearsome term "iridocyclitis", the disease of the choroid of the eye( ciliary body and iris) is hidden. It is an inflammation of the anterior and partly middle part of the vascular membrane, which can be both infectious and non-infectious.

The nature of the disease

The nature of the disease is divided into several forms of iridocyclitis:

• Acute( or subacute) - occurs suddenly, most often as a complication of influenza or rheumatic fever.
• Chronic. This form of iridocyclitis is characterized by a lingering course. It occurs, as a rule, with penetrating wounds of the eyes, and also as one of the symptoms of herpes( herpes iridocyclitis) and tuberculosis.
• Recurrent.

Types of the inflammatory process

Depending on the form of the inflammatory process, the following types of iridocyclitis are distinguished:

• Fibrinous - occurs with eye trauma. In this case, fibrinous exudate is formed in the anterior eye chamber. The formation of exudate is accompanied by no less dangerous symptoms: lacrimation, blepharospasm and photophobia. In addition, fibrinous iridocyclitis is characterized by severe pain in the damaged eye, opacity of the vitreous and the appearance of synechia. Diagnosis of the disease can be by lowered intraocular pressure and deposition of fibrin on the inner surface of the cornea in the form of precipitate.

• Purulent iridocyclitis - occurs also with eye injuries, as a rule, two to three days after an unpleasant incident. It flows quite heavily, with the formation of purulent exudate in the anterior chamber of the eye. In addition to the trauma, purulent iridocyclitis often becomes a complication with prolonged and in due time untreated tonsillitis, pyorrhea, furunculosis and other diseases caused by hematogenous entry into the organism of the pathogen. In addition to white exudate in the eye, patients have pronounced eyeball irritation and pain. The triggered disease can pass to the posterior eye region and lead to endophthalmitis and panophthalmitis.

• Hemorrhagic iridocyclitis - occurs as a result of damage to the walls of the vessels of the eye by a viral infection. As a result of exposure to the virus in the moisture of the anterior eye chamber, as well as in the vitreous body, hemorrhagic exudate with an admixture of blood is collected.
• Sympathetic iridocyclitis - the course of the disease occurs with alternation of periods of exacerbation and remission, can last several months or years. The progression of the disease is slowed down, acute forms practically do not occur. First of all, the front part of the choroid of the eye occurs, in combination with retinal detachment and the appearance of diffuse choriolites. Running sympathetic iridocyclitis leads to unavoidable infiltrative or exudative changes in the choroid. In addition, there may be a complication in the form of neuroretinitis.
• Serous iridocyclitis - in addition to the presence of serous exudate in the anterior eye chamber, this type of disease is characterized by the presence of mild vascular injection. On the back of the cornea appear gray precipitates. Dangerous serodic iridocyclitis, primarily the development of secondary glaucoma, as well as turbidity of the anterior chamber of the eye due to the characteristic constant fluctuations of intraocular pressure.

• Mixed iridocyclitis, or serous-fibrinous. It is characterized by simultaneous presence on the cornea of ​​whitish or pigmented precipitates, as well as hyperemia and edema of the iris. In addition, the vitreous humor and the synechia are possible.

In addition to the symptoms listed above, inherent in one or another type of iridocyclitis, the disease occurs with the emergence of local plethora in the optic nerve disc, as well as focal chorioretinitis.

Signs of the disease

In acute course of iridocyclitis, the following symptoms are observed in patients:

• Strong, night-increasing pain in the eyes.
• Unhealthy reaction of the eye to light. Under the influence of light there is abundant lacrimation.
• Sharp vision impairment.
• Muddy shade of the iris.
• The narrowed deformed pupil reacts poorly to light.
• The deposition of exudate on the vitreous, crystalline and posterior surface of the cornea. This deposit is called "precipitate".
• Formation of adhesions between the lens and the pupil.
• Decrease in intraocular pressure.
• Extension of perilymbal blood vessels.

In addition to these symptoms, the list can be supplemented further. It depends on the type of acute iridocyclitis. Namely - distinguish between influenza and rheumatic acute iridocyclitis.

Influenza acute iridocyclitis is characterized by extensive inflammatory process, eventually leading to a fusion of the anterior lens membrane and the edge of the iris. The rheumatic form is accompanied by a sharp pain and a hemorrhage in the anterior chamber of the eyeball.

Chronic iridocyclitis has the same symptoms as acute, with the only difference that all signs of the disease are less pronounced. Despite this, the disease is not more dangerous, but, on the contrary, it is less treatable.

Age of the disease

Most often, iridocyclitis overtakes people at the age of about 40 years, but cases of children, adolescents, as well as the elderly are not ruled out.

Reasons for

If we consider the etiological aspect of the onset of the disease, we distinguish:

• Infectious iridocyclitis - occurs under the influence of parasites, fungi, bacteria and viruses.
• Allergic iridocyclitis.
• Iridocyclitis caused by systemic diseases( rheumatism, lupus, Bechterew's disease).
• Iridocyclitis caused by trauma to the eye.
• Iridocyclitis, which occurs on the basis of metabolic and endocrine diseases.

The causes of the disease include:

• Infectious diseases( tuberculosis, herpes, syphilis, influenza).
• Systemic diseases.
• Allergies.
• Eye injury.
• Subcooling the body.
• Defective food.
• Low immunity.
• Diseases of the oral cavity.
• Diseases of ENT organs.

Diagnosis of the disease

How to recognize iridocyclitis? A number of additional studies will help clarify the diagnosis to the doctor:

• Determination of visual acuity. One of the signs of the disease is a deterioration in vision caused by the presence in the eye of exudate or edema of the cornea.
• Determination of intraocular pressure. Increased pressure inside the eyes is another alarm bell for the suspicion of iridocyclitis. Usually, the increase is due to the formation of adhesions in the iris-corneal corners of the eyes.
• Biomicroscopy.
• Inspection in transmitted light - allows to detect the presence in the vitreous body of exudate.
• Ophthalmoscopy. If a patient suffers from iridocyclitis, then ophthalmoscopy becomes one of the diagnostic methods. In this case, the examination of the fundus will be difficult or almost impossible due to inflammation in the anterior part of the eye.
• Ultrasound examination of the eye.
• Laboratory methods of investigation: general blood test, biochemical blood test, rheumatic test, coagulogram, allergic test.
• PCR.
• ELISA.
• Radiography of the lungs and sinuses of the nose.

With the results of the conducted studies and the analyzes taken, the patient is referred to a therapist, infectious disease specialist, allergist, rheumatologist and dermatovenerologist for confirmation of the presence of the disease.

Treatment of iridocyclitis

The choice of method of therapy depends primarily on the form of its course. The standard treatment of iridocyclitis includes both outpatient and inpatient methods. In addition, with uncomplicated form can be applied and consultative treatment.

A successful outcome is guaranteed only by an integrated approach, that is, a combination of all known methods. First of all, it is necessary to remove the inflammatory process, and then take measures to prevent scarring and the appearance of adhesions.

Therapy with medical preparations

Any disease requires a careful approach, including iridocyclitis. Treatment, drugs can be either strictly individual( if the patient has an allergy), and common.

Drug treatment is prescribed depending on the form of the disease:

• The non-specific form of iridocyclitis is treated with hormonal therapy using such drugs as Prednisolone and Hydrocortisone. The drugs have an anti-inflammatory effect, have a powerful effect not only for treatment, but also to prevent the flow of the disease into a more complex form, as well as possible complications.
• Purulent form of iridocyclitis is cured with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Simultaneously with them, analgesics can be prescribed to relieve the painful sensations of the eyes accompanying iridocyclitis. Treatment with antibiotics, along with analgesics, has a good effect. Discomfort is easily removed by the infraorbital novocaine fender-orbital blockades. In addition to antibiotics, the purulent form of the disease also requires daily careful treatment of the skin around the eyes with a beater or a special gel. In some cases, the doctor may decide to prescribe a subcutaneous injection with biostimulants.

Regardless of the form and stage of the disease, the formation of synechia( i.e., adhesions), as well as the fusion of the lens of the eye with the iris, medications-mydriatica are applied, which include:

• Medriacil solution.
• Adrenaline solution in a ratio of 1: 1000.
• Solution of atropine sulphate( used in 1% concentration).
• Drops of "Diclof"( non-steroid, it is possible to replace them with "Na-clof" and "Indomethacin"), used to enhance the therapeutic effect of the above-mentioned mydriatic.

These funds are aimed primarily at dilating the pupil. In the event that iridocyclitis is caused by a systemic disease, the treatment of ocular disease should take place in conjunction with getting rid of the cause. Isolated therapy is incapable of giving a long-term desired result.

Additional therapy

In addition to medical treatment, physiotherapy procedures are not out of place. The ophthalmologist can be prescribed magnetotherapy, electrophoresis with trypsin and lidase, and UV irradiation. Additional treatment of iridocyclitis will prevent the occurrence of relapses, and also will be able to overcome the residual symptoms of the disease.

Nontraditional therapies

Alternative therapy is suitable for those who are chronically illicit. Treatment in this case implies:

1. Hirudotherapy, or treatment with leeches. It is necessary to put two leeches on the temple above the diseased eye. The main condition of such therapy is the observation of a qualified specialist.
2. Treatment with dry heat( applying to the diseased eye).

Iridocyclitis: treatment at home

As it was already possible to guess, the considered disease is very dangerous, jokes with it are bad. In any case, the patient needs specialist advice in order to avoid dire consequences. If you are suddenly overtaken by acute iridocyclitis, treatment at home is justified if used to relieve your condition until you have the opportunity to visit a doctor. Therapy is to remove the acute form of inflammation. And home treatment can mean not only the use of folk remedies, but also medicines.

Traditional medicine recipes

It is recommended to take decoctions with iridocyclitis:

1. Mix 1 liter of lemon juice with grated garlic in an amount of 400 grams diluted with boiled water( 1 teaspoon mixture per 1 cup water).Take 2 times a day. Store the prepared mixture( previously closed with a lid) in a dark cool place.
2. Decoction of bark of aspen. Water with bark( in any proportion) should be boiled for 15 minutes, and then let it infuse for 4 hours. Take in a day, 1 glass a day. The obtained infusion possesses a powerful anti-inflammatory action, capable of muffling and iridocyclitis.

Treatment with folk remedies is not complete. Remember: no matter how effective the result at first glance might seem, it will be necessary to carefully eliminate the cause of the disease. And this is possible only with the use of medicines.

Prevention of

As you know, the disease is better prevented than treated. Iridocyclitis prophylaxis implies:

• Strengthening of immunity( hardening).
• Proper nutrition.
• Refusal from bad habits.
• Timely struggle against infectious and inflammatory diseases, which can lead to iridocyclitis.
• Timely vaccination against influenza.
• Protection against hypothermia in the winter season.

Do not Mess With Iridocyclitis - The consequences can be terrible!