IRITIS – INTRODUCTION

The iris is the colored portion of the eye. It acts like the shutter of a camera and its fine muscles open and close the pupil, the small hole in the centre of the iris, to admit more or less light, depending on how bright it is.

Inflammation of the iris or iritis, is not uncommon. It is not an infection. Conjunctivitis, or infection due either to viruses or to bacteria, usually affects both eyes and there is usually the production of pus, rather than just tears.

In iritis, there is pain in the eye, and sometimes around the orbit, even into the nose. There is photophobia, or dislike of light, an excess production of tears, and sometimes blurring of vision.

When the eye is examined, it has a diffuse pink flush around the cornea, the outer edges of the white of the eye are often unaffected.

In conjunctivitis, the eye is more red than pink, with prominent blood vessels and involving the whole of the white of the eye. The colored iris looks a greenish, muddy color and the normal markings on it are blurred. The pupil is often small and reacts sluggishly to light.

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