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HomeHealth TopicEye Care and Vision

Iritis: What to Know About This Common Cause of Eye Pain

Catherine Cox, MDKarla Robinson, MD
Written by Catherine Cox, MD | Reviewed by Karla Robinson, MD
Published on September 21, 2022

Key takeaways:

  • Iritis is a type of eye inflammation and can be a serious condition. It can sometimes be a sign of an underlying medical condition.

  • Symptoms of iritis can be quite uncomfortable and can include extreme light sensitivity, redness, pain, blurry vision, and tearing.  

  • You can treat iritis with eye drops or oral medications. If untreated, iritis can lead to vision loss. 

A woman is at an eye exam with her doctor. They’re off to the right of the frame, and the left of the frame is the eye exam equipment.
Thomas Northcut/Digital Vision via Getty Images

Pain in the eye can be startling and a bit scary. Iritis is a condition involving inflammation of the front part of the eye. And it’s a common cause of eye pain. Also called “anterior uveitis,” iritis occurs when there’s swelling around the iris — the colored area of the eye. 

A 3D illustration of the eye highlighting the iris.

Iritis can have serious consequences. It’s a common cause of blindness, leading to 30,000 cases of blindness each year. But there are treatments, so don’t hesitate to visit your eye doctor if you notice persistent symptoms.

What causes iritis?

Iritis can have many causes. It can result from a problem inside your eye. Sometimes it can be due to an underlying medical condition. Common medical conditions that can lead to iritis include:

Any issue that affects the structures in the front of the eye (like the iris and cornea) can lead to iritis. That’s because the eye naturally has an immune response to diseased or injured tissues. Usually this is a good thing — your eye uses inflammation in an attempt to heal its injuries. But, if the inflammation is too strong or goes on for too long, scarring inside the eye can lead to permanent vision loss.

Sometimes the first case of iritis is idiopathic. This means your provider can’t find a specific cause. This may be the case if only one eye is affected and there aren’t any obvious triggers. In fact, at least 30% of iritis cases can’t be linked to an underlying condition.

What are the symptoms of iritis?

Symptoms of iritis can be mild or quite dramatic. Extreme light sensitivity can lead a person to seek out very dark environments. Other symptoms may include:

  • Red eye

  • Tearing

  • Pain

  • Blurry vision  

What other eye issues can be confused with iritis?

In the early stages of iritis, when the symptoms are mild, you might mistake it for other conditions. Common conditions that may mimic iritis are: 

  • Conjunctivitis (pink eye): Early conjunctivitis can cause mild tearing and a red eye. But you’ll also see eye crusting in the morning and mucus-like discharge during the day. 

  • Dry eyes: Surprisingly, dry eyes cause tearing. This is due to the eye’s natural tearing reflex mechanism. Dry eye symptoms should improve after you lubricate the eye with artificial tears. 

  • Minor irritation: General eye irritation from high winds or rubbing your eye can cause similar symptoms. This can also lead to temporary tearing, redness, and mildly blurry vision.  

Given this overlap between iritis and other, less serious conditions, it’s easy to see why some people ignore the early signs. But this can lead to a late diagnosis of iritis and threaten your vision.  

How do you diagnose iritis?

To diagnose iritis, you’ll need to see an eye care specialist. Your provider will take a thorough history and do an examination. To take a detailed look at your eye, they’ll use a slit lamp, a specialized microscope. Your provider can detect inflammation by shining a thin beam of light at the space between your iris and cornea. 

Your eye exam should also include a vision test, an eye pressure check, and dilation to look at the back of your eye.

Based on these results, your provider will figure out if you need more testing. Be sure to let them know if you have:

  • Fevers, chills, or fatigue

  • Cough or shortness of breath

  • Joint pain, swelling, or stiffness

  • Diarrhea

  • Blood in your stool or urine

  • Skin rash

  • Oral or genital ulcers

If your provider suspects an underlying cause, you’ll get further testing. Testing can include  blood work to check for any systemic infections or immune disorders. Occasionally you’ll need imaging, such as a CT or MRI.

If your provider thinks you may have an infection within your eye, you may need a culture of your eyelid tissues or your cornea. In some cases, your provider may take a sample of the fluid inside your eye to send for testing. 

Can you have iritis in both eyes?

It’s possible to have iritis in just one eye or in both eyes. If you have a mild case in one eye with no obvious cause, your provider will likely treat it without any extra testing.

If it recurs in the same eye for a second time or it’s in both eyes, this could be due to an underlying medical condition. Your provider may order blood testing or imaging to help figure out the cause.

Is iritis serious? 

If iritis is left untreated, scarring inside the eye can lead to vision loss or blindness. It can also cause glaucoma due to increased pressures in the eye. That’s why it’s important to schedule an eye exam right away if you have symptoms that last for more than a few days.  

Other serious complications of iritis can include:

  • Cataracts

  • Retinal inflammation

  • Inflammation of the vitreous

  • Swelling in the back of the eye (macular edema)

  • Calcium deposits on the cornea

You can treat iritis when you get an early diagnosis. You can avoid serious complications with prompt medical attention as soon as you notice symptoms. 

How do you treat iritis?

The treatment course for iritis varies depending on the cause. Standard prescriptions include steroids and dilating eye drops. This is to prevent scarring within the eye. But you should only use these medications under the supervision of an eye care provider.

To combat infection, providers often prescribe antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics. They can be topical eye drops or oral medications (that you take by mouth).

If iritis becomes a chronic problem, you may need long-term steroids or anti-inflammatory medications.

Does iritis go away on its own?

Yes, sometimes iritis goes away on its own. This is particularly true after trauma to the eye or after a bout of iritis with no underlying cause. But permanent scarring can occur any time you have iritis. So it’s best to seek treatment if you have symptoms of iritis.

The bottom line

Iritis can be a serious condition without early diagnosis and treatment. And sometimes it’s a sign of an underlying medical condition. Although symptoms may be mild at first, it’s important not to ignore them. If you notice any changes in your vision or eye symptoms that persist for more than a few days, contact your eye care provider.

References

Agarwal, M., et al. (2020). Drug-induced uveitis: A review. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology.

American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. (2021). Iritis.

View All References (3)

González, M. M., et al. (2018). Epidemiology of uveitis in a US population-based study. Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection.

Grajewski, R. S., et al. (2020). Perceived stress levels in adult patients with uveitis. Frontiers in Psychology.

Gurnani, B., et al. (2022). Iritis. StatPearls.

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

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