[Diagnosis and treatment of non-infectious uveitis associated with systemic disease: a guide for internists].

Uveitis is an inflammation of the eye, resulting from infection or inflammation and is sometimes related to rheumatic and other auto-immune diseases. The condition is classified according to the anatomical site of inflammation: anterior, intermediate, posterior or panuveitis. Uveitis may result in a significant loss of visual acuity, that may however be avoided by controlling the inflammation. Anterior uveitis is the only form that responds to topical therapies (prednisolone acetate and mydriatics). The other forms of inflammatory and non-infectious uveitis often require treatment with systemic corticosteroids, followed by immunosuppressive or biological therapies, which requires close collaboration between the different medical sub-specialties.