What is birdshot uveitis?

What is birdshot uveitis?

Birdshot chorioretinopathy (or retinochoroidopathy), normally shortened to ‘birdshot’, is a rare, potentially blinding, posterior uveitis. This is chronic inflammation of the choroid, which also tends to affect the retina and retinal vessels. It affects both eyes.

How is birdshot chorioretinopathy treated?

Because birdshot chorioretinopathy is suspected to be an autoimmune disease , therapies aim to regulate the body’s immune response. Therapies may include corticosteroids such as prednisone (by injection or medication taken by mouth) or medications that suppress the immune system such as cyclosporine.

How do you get birdshot chorioretinopathy?

The cause for birdshot chorioretinopathy is unknown. A strong link to the presence of the human leukocyte antigen A29 (HLA-A29) molecule exists, suggesting that the disease may result from an inherited immune dysregulation.

How common is birdshot chorioretinopathy?

Birdshot Chorioretinopathy affects between 0.6 and 1.5 percent of the population. The disease is more common in North European descents with a female preponderance which is 1 in 2000. It accounts for 6%-8% of cases of posterior uveitis. Prevalence in US is 1 in 200,000.

Is birdshot Chorioretinopathy an autoimmune disease?

Birdshot chorioretinopathy (often shortened to birdshot uveitis) is a rare autoimmune disease for which early symptoms include floaters and/or blurred vision. Birdshot chorioretinopathy (often shortened to birdshot uveitis) is a rare autoimmune disease for which early symptoms include floaters and/or blurred vision.

What autoimmune disease causes floaters?

Severe inflammation in the eye can cause white blood cells to enter the vitreous, and this can look like floaters. These are more common in patients with autoimmune diseases like lupus or sarcoid.

Is birdshot an autoimmune disease?

What are the symptoms of birdshot?

People with birdshot may go on to experience other symptoms including:

• Night blindness.
• Problems with colour vision.
• Sensitivity to bright lights.
• Seeing flashing lights.
• Distortions in vision.
• Pain in the eyes.
• Loss of depth perception and/or peripheral (side) vision.

What is intermediate uveitis?

Intermediate uveitis refers to inflammation localized to the vitreous and peripheral retina. Intermediate uveitis was first described in the literature as chronic cyclitis by Fuchs in 1908.

Why is my immune system attacking my eyes?

On such problem is autoimmune retinopathy, which is “usually manifested as a vascular problem,” says Dr. Friedman. This means that the immune system attacks and inflames the blood vessels in the back of the eye, on the retina, which can affect vision.

Is uveitis an autoimmune disease?

Uveitis is an autoimmune disease of the eye that refers to any of a number of intraocular inflammatory conditions. Because it is a rare disease, uveitis is often overlooked, and the possible associations between uveitis and extra-ocular disease manifestations are not well known.

Is HLA A29 hereditary?

The relative risk for developing disease in HLA-A29–positive individuals has been estimated to be as high as 224. Watching familial cases of BSCR suggest the existence of a familial aggregation.