Episcleritis of the eye is an inflammatory disease. The ailment has its own characteristics and requires therapy. This process affects the external sclera, which is located between the internal sclera and the conjunctiva. As a rule, the disease is benign. The disease proceeds easily, but the tendency to relapse persists. The disease can periodically bother the patient, affecting both eyes. In most cases, it is cured on its own.
Causes of the disease
Why does episcleritis occur? The causes of this disease could not be precisely determined, since most people do not go to the doctor with such an ailment. Studies show that episcleritis occurs in those who suffer from systemic diseases. The number of such cases is one third of all visits with a similar ailment to the doctor. Moreover, in 11% of patients, an increase in the amount of uric acid in the blood was noted.
Often, episcleritis of the eye is provoked by diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis. These ailments most often affect the connective tissue. This category includes ankylosing spondylitis and polyarteritis nodosa.
Infectious diseases are also capable of causing the development of episcleritis: viral, including herpes, parasitic, fungal, as well as Lyme disease, tuberculosis, syphilis.
There are other reasons for the development of the disease: chemical exposure, a foreign body, gout, T-cell leukemia, necrobiotic xanthogranuloma, dermatomyositis, paraproteinemia.
Symptoms
What does episcleritis look like? A photo of the disease is presented above. At the moment, several forms of the disease are distinguished: nodular and simple. There is also a migratory variant of the disease and rosacea-episcleritis.
The simple form is more common. Its main features:
- The inflammatory process is severe or mild.
- Diffuse or local redness.
- Pain
- Photophobia.
- Discomfort.
- Transparent discharge from the eyes.
In autumn and spring, as well as with hormonal changes and stress, the symptoms described above are more common.
Symptoms of nodular episcleritis
Nodular episcleritis is characterized by the formation of round nodules, covered with a hyperemic conjunctiva, formed near the limbus. In this case, pain is more pronounced. The acute form of the disease can be replaced by periods of relief. Moreover, with each relapse, the process can be greatly exacerbated.
In extreme cases, there are signs of an ailment on the cornea: saucer-shaped depressions at the very edge or in the form of peripheral infiltrates. In 10% of all cases, symptoms of anterior uveitis, an inflammatory process that affects the choroid of the organ of vision, are noted.
With this form, the disease does not cause lacrimation and photophobia.
Signs of a migratory form and rosacea-episcleritis
Episcleritis of the eye may be migratory. With this form, the focus of the inflammatory process can occur suddenly. In this case, the ailment can alternately appear in one or the other eye. Most often, this form is accompanied by angioedema of the eyelids and migraine. In a few days, the symptoms may disappear.
Rosacea-eskleritis manifests itself in the same way as the migrating form. In this case, symptoms can be accompanied by damage to the cornea of the eye and pink acne on the skin, localized only on the face. Based on these signs, the doctor can determine the severity of the disease.
Episcleritis of the eye: treatment
If there are signs of episcleritis of the eye, then first of all it is worth visiting a doctor. In this case, you should contact an ophthalmologist. With the development of the disease, you should not particularly worry, since it proceeds in a mild form and practically does not cause discomfort.
In some cases, episcleritis of the eye occurs imperceptibly for a person and also disappears imperceptibly. In such situations, treatment comes down to waiting for the ailment to simply go away on its own. To speed up this process, the doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs.
At the same time, a specialist advises to avoid overstrain and provide the eyes with maximum peace. Otherwise, the condition may worsen. If pain occurs in the organs of vision, then drops from a number of medications of an artificial tear or corticosteroids are prescribed. Non-steroidal oral administration is also allowed.
Episcleritis, an eye disease, most often occurs with another disease. Therefore, experts recommend treating not only the eyes, but also the ailment, against which the inflammatory process in the eyes developed.
What drugs are prescribed
Experts recommend starting with eliminating irritants that can cause the development of an allergic reaction. With a disease such as episiscleritis of the eye, the use of desensitizing agents, for example, calcium chloride, diphenhydramine or cortisone, gives a good result.
If the main pathology is rheumatic in nature, then salicylates and butadion are prescribed. In case of infections, drops with sulfanilamide agents or antibiotics.
If the disease arose against the background of a tuberculosis-allergic condition, then phtivazide and other anti-tuberculosis drugs are often prescribed.
In addition to the above drugs, the doctor can offer treatment with herbal remedies, as well as prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures.