Clinical features

Many patients with anterior uveitis presents with redness of the eye (1). Features suggesting anterior uveitis in a patient with red eyes are

• unilateral presentation
• pain or photophobia
• circumlimbal redness (2)
• no itching
• poorly reactive pupil
• irregularity of the pupil
• family history of uveitis (1)

Anterior uveitis is commonly divided into acute and chronic types, however there may be some overlap in individual patients e.g. the chronic disease may have an acute exacerbation.

Acute anterior uveitis is commonly non-granulomatous while chronic anterior uveitis is characterised by granulomata.

Reference:

• (1) Hajj-Ali RA et al. Uveitis in the internist’s office: Are a patient’s eye symptoms serious? Cleve Clin J Med. 2005;72(4):329-39
• (2) American Optometric association 2004. Care of the patients with anterior uveitis