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Treatment Strategies
Even though there may not be any permanent cure for Uveitis,
each attack can be treated, depending upon the cause, severity
and location of the inflammation. The treatment may include
eye drops, injections under the eye or oral medication.
The most commonly prescribed
eye drops relieve the muscles inside the eye and help to dilate
the pupil, temporarily paralysing the sphincter muscles to
relieve the pain. This may cause some difficulty in near vision
and increase the feeling of glare in bright light. Patients
are advised to use dark glasses while going out in the day.
To control inflammation, steroids
may be given in the form of drops, injections around the eye
or tablets. At such times, a depot steroid injection is used,
which causes a slow release of the drug into the eye. The
drug usually lasts for several weeks.
When the inflammation is extensive
or severe, oral drugs such as steroids and immunosuppressive
drugs are needed. These drugs have potential side effects,
but they are often not serious and their effects are reversible,
once treatment is discontinued.
Important
advice about Medication
. Please take the medicines as advised by the doctor;
do not start or stop the medication on your own. If you are
on oral steroid therapy and have to undergo any surgery, please
inform your doctor. If you have taken oral steroids for more
than two weeks, do not stop suddenly, as this could have serious
problems.
. Keep your medication where
you can see it easily.
. Schedule your medications
around your daily routine, like when you wake uo in the morning,
at meal times or at bedtime.
. If you forget to use your
eye drops, use them as soon as you remember, instead of waiting
till the next scheduled time. Then get back on schedule for
the next dose.
. Watch out for side effects
like changes in vision. Inform your doctor immediately about
them or on your next appointment. Schedule your check-ups
regularly.
. When consulting doctors for
other problems, tell them about the medicines that you are
using. Eye medications can affect other parts of the body
too.
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