What causes Uveitis?
Uveitis can have many causes, including injury to the eye, viruses, bacteria, parasites, and exposure to toxic substances such as acid. Uveitis can also be caused by inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis, or genetics. However, in many cases the cause is unknown.
Uveitis can be associated with any of the following:
AIDS Ankylosing spondylitis Behcet syndrome CMV retinitis Herpes zoster infection Histoplasmosis Injury Kawasaki disease Psoriasis Reactive arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Sarcoidosis Syphilis Toxoplasmosis Tuberculosis Ulcerative colitis
Additionally, the causes may vary depending on the form of uveitis:
Anterior uveitis may be associated with autoimmune diseases, but most cases occur in healthy people for unapparent reasons. The disorder may affect only one eye. It is most common in young and middle-aged people.
Intermediate uveitis usually occurs in young men and is generally not associated with any other disease. In most cases, the cause is unknown . However, some evidence suggests it may be linked to Crohn's disease and possibly multiple sclerosis .
Posterior uveitis may develop in people who have an autoimmune disease or who have had a systemic (body-wide) infection. The most common cause of posterior uveitis is infections resulting from toxoplasmosis </s>