Uveitis (Iritis)

About 30-40% of people with AS will develop uveitis (also known as iritis). 

This is an eye condition caused by inflammation in the front part of the eye between the cornea (the clear window at the front of the eye) and the lens.

Common symptoms of uveitis are:

  • Pain in the eye
  • Sensitivity to light (photophobia). In other words, the brighter the light the more pain in the eye as the pupil gets smaller causing pain
  • Redness and soreness of the eye
  • Blurred vision

Uveitis usually comes on suddenly and is likely to recur. Each single attack usually lasts a few weeks and should last no more than 3 months. The inflammation can range from mild to severe and each attack may be different, even in the same person.

If you think you have symptoms of uveitis you should see an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours, to confirm it and start you on treatment. Early treatment reduces the risk of long term damage to the eye which can affect your vision. You can find an ophthalmologist by asking your GP to make an urgent referral to the local ophthalmology team or you can go to your local hospital A&E department who will contact the ophthalmologist to arrange an urgent review.

NASS member Aimee Matthews kindly volunteered to help in the NASS offices for a couple of weeks in July and produced a list of all the hospitals in England where emergency treatment can be found for AS. In some hospitals you need a referral by your GP, while in other hospitals you can go to A&E or directly to eye casualty. Where possible Aimee has included a telephone number so that you can call ahead and check what you need to do before travelling.

Click here to read more about uveitis or to download a fact sheet.

Last reviewed: August 2011