Conditions

What is Fuchs’ Uveitis Syndrome ?

Fuchs’ Uveitis Syndrome (FUS) is a chronic, low grade form of inflammation affecting the anterior part of the eye, with no involvement of other sites in the body.

The disease typically affects one eye and clinically manifests with a suggestive phenotype including:

Inflammation in the anterior chamber, but also typically the presence of inflammatory cells in the vitreous (the jelly-like structure which fills the posterior cavity of the eye), which is known as vitiritis
Small white deposits on the back of the cornea (keratic precipitates) diffusely distributed
Nodules on the iris
Diffuse loss of iris tissue which can result in change of the colour of the affected eye, which will look lighter coloured . This is more easily observed in green eyes, which will turn blue.

What causes Fuchs’ Uveitis Syndrome ?

The precise aetiology is not completely known.

However, viruses including herpes simplex virus, rubella virus and cytomegalovirus, and ocular toxoplasmosis have been associated with the disease.

What are the symptoms?

Patients can be asymptomatic or complain of symptoms, including

Diagnosis

There are no specific tests to diagnosis FUS .

The diagnosis is based on the clinical findings during examination and the exclusion of other causes of chronic anterior uveitis.

For example, it is generally recommended to rule out tuberculosis and syphilis.

A viral aetiology, can be confirmed by diagnostic sampling of intraocular fluid.

Treatment

No treatment is generally recommended since the ocular inflammation is low grade and minimally responsive to ocular corticosteroids.

In addition, given the chronic course of the disease, the long- term use of topical steroids can increase the rate of the onset of the complications that typically characterized the disease, namely high ocular pressure and cataract.

However, occasional short-term courses of corticosteroids eye drops may be indicated in case of symptomatic exacerbations of the disease.
Lowering intraocular pressure eye drops may be needed in cases where ocular pressure is outside normal limits.