Uveitis is an eye inflammation that leads to pain, blurred vision and redness. The standard treatment involves the use of topical corticosteroids drugs. For some patients, these drugs fail to give the desired outcomes, thus resulting in prolonged pain and compromised vision. A team led by Dr Soumyava Basu at LVPEI Bhubaneswar has found out a possible cause for this problem. The study carried out by them has revealed the presence of a ‘Multi Drug Resistant’ protein in the immune cells of these patients. This protein nullifies the effect of the anti-inflammatory drugs. Earlier studies have described the formation of these proteins during other kinds of inflammations in the body, but what was not known is that they can affect eye diseases as well. The team has identified ‘Cyclosporine’ drug as a possible antidote to counter MDR proteins. This has opened up new possibilities for devising better treatment options for uveitis patients.
The findings of the study have been accepted for publication in the journal Translational Vision Science and Technology.
