Granulomatous Uveitis

The middle layer of the eye, also known as the uvea (uva or "grape" in Greek), is made up of the iris, the ciliary body, and the choroid. Uveitis is an inflammation of the middle layer of the eye which can involve one, two, or all three parts of the uveal tract. It can be classified in several ways; anatomically into anterior, intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis according to the site of inflammation, etiologically into infectious or non-infectious uveitis according to the underlying cause, and histopathologically into granulomatous or non-granulomatous uveitis according to the immunological response of the body to the cause of uveitis.

Because many conditions, both ocular and systemic, may result in uveitis, these classifications are important as they may help in narrowing down the differential diagnosis in a case of uveitis since each condition usually presents a characteristic clinical picture. In this article, we will review the multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and management of granulomatous uveitis.