Scleritis Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Scleritis is a condition in which there is inflammation or inflammation of the sclera of the eye. The sclera is the white part of the eye and this part serves as the outer layer that protects the eye. The sclera is the largest constituent of the surface of the eye, about 83 percent of the surface of the eye is formed from the sclera.
Scleritis Symptoms
There are two forms of scleritis, namely anterior and posterior. Anterior scleritis affects the front of the sclera. Anterior scleritis consists of three types of conditions, namely:
- Diffuse scleritis: is the most common type. This condition causes redness and inflammation of all or part of the front of the sclera.
- Nodular scleritis: characterized by the appearance of nodules or lumps on the surface of the eye that can cause pain to touch.
- Necrotizing scleritis: is the most severe form of anterior scleritis. In this condition, damage to the scleral tissue of the eye can occur. This type is characterized by severe pain, although in rare circumstances it may be present without pain.
Posterior scleritis is less common. This type of scleritis affects the back of the eye and is often not associated with a systemic disease. Posterior scleritis can occur alone or with anterior scleritis. Usually, the symptoms that are felt are pain or tenderness to touch.
The main symptom that often appears in someone with scleritis is redness. In addition, there is often pain. The characteristics of the pain felt are severe pain that can radiate to the forehead, eyebrows, jaw, or sinuses; can wake you up during the night; pain increases with touch; only disappear temporarily if given pain medication.
Other signs that are usually felt are tears, photophobia, visual disturbances such as blurry vision. Scleritis may be accompanied by several complications, such as retinal detachment (retinal detachment), keratitis, iritis, uveitis, cataracts, fundal abnormalities (disk edema, macular edema, subretinal masses) or angle-closure glaucoma.
Reason
Scleritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is often painful. This condition has the potential to cause blindness, so it needs to be taken seriously. This situation can be related to eye problems alone but is often caused by systemic autoimmune diseases.
Scleritis can also be caused by trauma to the eye. In rare cases, this disease can also be caused by infection with fungi or parasites. Some diseases that are often associated with the appearance of scleritis are:
- Some forms of arthritis are associated with inflammation
- eye infection
- lupus
- some connective tissue diseases
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Wegener’s granulomatosis
- scleroderma
Diagnosis
Scleritis requires a thorough evaluation. The doctor will conduct a detailed interview to find out the signs and symptoms felt by the sufferer. In addition, a thorough eye examination will also be required. An eye examination will be carried out using a slit lamp, to examine the inside and outside of the eye.
In addition to medical interviews and eye examinations, supporting examinations can also be carried out. For example, laboratory or imaging tests to help determine the cause of scleritis, especially if there is suspicion of an underlying systemic disease.
Scleritis Treatment
Scleritis is not a trivial condition, and if left untreated it can potentially cause blindness. Therefore, proper handling as soon as possible is very important to do.
The type of treatment given can vary, depending on the type of scleritis you are suffering from. Often, systemic therapy is needed to help treat this condition. Systemic therapy that may be considered includes corticosteroids, NSAIDs ( non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ), or immunomodulatory drugs.