Ocular inflammation

Abstract

This chapter deals predominantly with inflammatory disease in the eye as it is seen in surgical enucleation specimens. Operative procedures may be complicated by secondary exogenous infection in a small percentage of total cases treated surgically. Non-surgical trauma may also be complicated by infection. Endogenous infection occurs due to haematogenous spread from a primary source elsewhere in the body such as a lung abscess. If the inflammatory process is restricted to the tissues within the scleral envelope, the condition is referred to as endophthalmitis; if the episcleral tissues are involved, the term panophthalmitis is appropriate. Whilst infection is an important cause of ocular inflammation rheumatoid eye disease may cause a sight threatening sclerokeratitis due to immune complex mediated vasculitis. Other systemic conditions such as Granulomatosis with polyangiitis may cause sclerokeratitis so a serological screen is important. Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome is an autoimmune condition that may cause a granulomatous uveitis identical to sympathetic ophthalmitis but without the prior history of trauma.