Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesIs AS a Risk Factor?SymptomsTreatmentFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Is AS a Risk Factor?
Symptoms
Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
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Types of Uveitis
The eye has three layers, the middle of which is called the uvea. The uvea contains many blood vessels and is made up of theiris, theciliary body, and the choroid. Uveitis is a condition that occurs when the uvea is inflamed.
There are four types of uveitis that affect different parts of the uvea. They are:
Anterior uveitis is the most common type of eye inflammation that occurs with ankylosing spondylitis.
Why AS Is a Risk Factor for Uveitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune condition causing inflammation throughout the body. The body’s immune system attacks healthy tissues—including the uvea—because it mistakenly believes it is harmful. Uveitis is a common clinical sign of many types of inflammatory disease.
The exact reason why uveitis occurs with AS is not clear, but researchers have found that people with both conditions often have a specific mutation of the HLA-B27 gene.However, not all people with AS and uveitis have this genetic marker.
Symptoms of Uveitis
Uveitis can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms include:
Complications from uveitis can also occur, especially if left untreated. These include:
Treatment for Uveitis
Medications used to treat ankylosing spondylitis can help reduce inflammation throughout the body, including the eyes. These include:
Preventing UveitisChronic uveitis is common with ankylosing spondylitis.While it can’t always be prevented, regular checkups with your healthcare provider can help you recognize the early signs of a flare-up and start treatment to avoid permanent damage.
Preventing Uveitis
Chronic uveitis is common with ankylosing spondylitis.While it can’t always be prevented, regular checkups with your healthcare provider can help you recognize the early signs of a flare-up and start treatment to avoid permanent damage.
Summary
Uveitis affects around one-third of people who have ankylosing spondylitis—an inflammatory condition that primarily affects the spine.Uveitis causes eye redness, pain, blurry vision, floaters, and, if left untreated, can lead to permanent blindness. Treatment includes medications that reduce inflammation throughout the body and steroid drops or injections to the affected eye.
A Word From Verywell
If you’re living with ankylosing spondylitis, it’s important to recognize if inflammation spreads to other parts of your body, including your eyes. Even if you don’t have symptoms of uveitis, consider seeing a healthcare provider to establish a baseline and schedule regular follow-up appointments to monitor for early signs of this condition. Being proactive can prevent serious side effects down the road, including blindness.
Frequently Asked QuestionsIt can. Ankylosing spondylitis can cause inflammation throughout the body, including the eyes. This can lead to a condition called uveitis, which often causes blurred vision.The most common early sign of ankylosing spondylitis is chronic low back pain and stiffness that gradually worsens over time. Pain from this condition usually improves with movement and gets worse with rest. Symptoms typically begin in people before the age of 40.Learn MoreSymptoms of Ankylosing SpondylitisAnkylosing spondylitis can cause uveitis, or inflammation in the middle layer of the eye. Symptoms include redness, pain, blurred vision, floaters, and sensitivity to light. Dryness is not typically a symptom of this type of uveitis.
It can. Ankylosing spondylitis can cause inflammation throughout the body, including the eyes. This can lead to a condition called uveitis, which often causes blurred vision.
The most common early sign of ankylosing spondylitis is chronic low back pain and stiffness that gradually worsens over time. Pain from this condition usually improves with movement and gets worse with rest. Symptoms typically begin in people before the age of 40.Learn MoreSymptoms of Ankylosing Spondylitis
The most common early sign of ankylosing spondylitis is chronic low back pain and stiffness that gradually worsens over time. Pain from this condition usually improves with movement and gets worse with rest. Symptoms typically begin in people before the age of 40.
Learn MoreSymptoms of Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis can cause uveitis, or inflammation in the middle layer of the eye. Symptoms include redness, pain, blurred vision, floaters, and sensitivity to light. Dryness is not typically a symptom of this type of uveitis.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Rheumatology.Ankylosing spondylitis & uveitis: an ophthalmologist’s perspective.National Eye Institute.Uveitis.Oh BL, Lee JS, Lee EY, et al.Recurrent anterior uveitis and subsequent incidence of ankylosing spondylitis: a nationwide cohort study from 2002 to 2013.Arthritis Res Ther. 2018;20:22. doi:10.1186/s13075-018-1522-2İnanç M, Şimşek M, Çakar Özdal MP.Etiological and clinical characteristics of HLA-B27-associated uveitis in a tertiary referral center.Turk J Ophthalmol. 2019;49(1):10-14. doi:10.4274/tjo.galenos.2018.53896American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is uveitis?Mitulescu TC, Trandafir M, Dimancescu MG, et al.Advances in the treatment of uveitis in patients with spondyloarthritis - is it the time for biologic therapy?Rom J Ophthalmol. 2018;62(2):114-122. doi: 10.22336/rjo.2018.17Ward MM, Deodhar A, Gensler LS, et al.2019 Update of the American College of Rheumatology/Spondylitis Association of America/Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network Recommendations for the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis and Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2019;71(10):1285-1299. doi:10.1002/acr.24025Gupta N, Agarwal A.Management of uveitis in spondyloarthropathy: current trends.Perm J. 2017;22:17-041. doi:10.7812/TPP/17-041
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Rheumatology.Ankylosing spondylitis & uveitis: an ophthalmologist’s perspective.National Eye Institute.Uveitis.Oh BL, Lee JS, Lee EY, et al.Recurrent anterior uveitis and subsequent incidence of ankylosing spondylitis: a nationwide cohort study from 2002 to 2013.Arthritis Res Ther. 2018;20:22. doi:10.1186/s13075-018-1522-2İnanç M, Şimşek M, Çakar Özdal MP.Etiological and clinical characteristics of HLA-B27-associated uveitis in a tertiary referral center.Turk J Ophthalmol. 2019;49(1):10-14. doi:10.4274/tjo.galenos.2018.53896American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is uveitis?Mitulescu TC, Trandafir M, Dimancescu MG, et al.Advances in the treatment of uveitis in patients with spondyloarthritis - is it the time for biologic therapy?Rom J Ophthalmol. 2018;62(2):114-122. doi: 10.22336/rjo.2018.17Ward MM, Deodhar A, Gensler LS, et al.2019 Update of the American College of Rheumatology/Spondylitis Association of America/Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network Recommendations for the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis and Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2019;71(10):1285-1299. doi:10.1002/acr.24025Gupta N, Agarwal A.Management of uveitis in spondyloarthropathy: current trends.Perm J. 2017;22:17-041. doi:10.7812/TPP/17-041
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American College of Rheumatology.Ankylosing spondylitis & uveitis: an ophthalmologist’s perspective.National Eye Institute.Uveitis.Oh BL, Lee JS, Lee EY, et al.Recurrent anterior uveitis and subsequent incidence of ankylosing spondylitis: a nationwide cohort study from 2002 to 2013.Arthritis Res Ther. 2018;20:22. doi:10.1186/s13075-018-1522-2İnanç M, Şimşek M, Çakar Özdal MP.Etiological and clinical characteristics of HLA-B27-associated uveitis in a tertiary referral center.Turk J Ophthalmol. 2019;49(1):10-14. doi:10.4274/tjo.galenos.2018.53896American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is uveitis?Mitulescu TC, Trandafir M, Dimancescu MG, et al.Advances in the treatment of uveitis in patients with spondyloarthritis - is it the time for biologic therapy?Rom J Ophthalmol. 2018;62(2):114-122. doi: 10.22336/rjo.2018.17Ward MM, Deodhar A, Gensler LS, et al.2019 Update of the American College of Rheumatology/Spondylitis Association of America/Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network Recommendations for the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis and Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2019;71(10):1285-1299. doi:10.1002/acr.24025Gupta N, Agarwal A.Management of uveitis in spondyloarthropathy: current trends.Perm J. 2017;22:17-041. doi:10.7812/TPP/17-041
American College of Rheumatology.Ankylosing spondylitis & uveitis: an ophthalmologist’s perspective.
National Eye Institute.Uveitis.
Oh BL, Lee JS, Lee EY, et al.Recurrent anterior uveitis and subsequent incidence of ankylosing spondylitis: a nationwide cohort study from 2002 to 2013.Arthritis Res Ther. 2018;20:22. doi:10.1186/s13075-018-1522-2
İnanç M, Şimşek M, Çakar Özdal MP.Etiological and clinical characteristics of HLA-B27-associated uveitis in a tertiary referral center.Turk J Ophthalmol. 2019;49(1):10-14. doi:10.4274/tjo.galenos.2018.53896
American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is uveitis?
Mitulescu TC, Trandafir M, Dimancescu MG, et al.Advances in the treatment of uveitis in patients with spondyloarthritis - is it the time for biologic therapy?Rom J Ophthalmol. 2018;62(2):114-122. doi: 10.22336/rjo.2018.17
Ward MM, Deodhar A, Gensler LS, et al.2019 Update of the American College of Rheumatology/Spondylitis Association of America/Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network Recommendations for the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis and Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2019;71(10):1285-1299. doi:10.1002/acr.24025
Gupta N, Agarwal A.Management of uveitis in spondyloarthropathy: current trends.Perm J. 2017;22:17-041. doi:10.7812/TPP/17-041
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