Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffBefore diagnosing iritis, your eye doctor will conduct a complete eye exam, including:
- External examination. During an external exam, your doctor may use a penlight to look at your pupils, observe the pattern of redness in your eye or eyes, and check for signs of discharge.
- Visual acuity. Your doctor will note your visual acuity using an eye chart and other standard tests.
- Slit-lamp examination. Using a special microscope with a light on it, your eye doctor views the inside of your eye looking for signs of iritis, including the presence of white blood cells or hazy protein deposits (flare). To better view your eye's interior, your doctor may give you eyedrops to dilate your pupil.
- Glaucoma testing. During a glaucoma test, the pressure in your eyes (intraocular pressure) is measured. Elevated intraocular pressure indicates that you may have glaucoma.
If your eye doctor suspects that a disease or condition is causing your iritis, he or she may work closely with your primary care provider to pinpoint the underlying cause. In that case, further testing may include blood tests or X-rays to identify or rule out specific causes.
References
- Uveitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec09/ch105/ch105a.html. Accessed Dec. 21, 2010.
- Rosenbaum JT. Uveitis: Etiology; clinical manifestations; and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 21, 2010.
- Mahmood AR, et al. Diagnosis and management of the acute red eye. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. 2008;26:35.
- Walker RA, et al. Eye emergencies. In: Tintinalli JE, et al. Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6387273. Accessed Dec. 21, 2010.
- Care of the patient with anterior uveitis. St. Louis, Mo.: American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/documents/CPG-7.pdf. Accessed Dec. 27, 2010.
- Mueller JB, et al. Ocular infection and inflammation. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. 2008;26:57.
- Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 2, 2011.
Find Mayo Clinic on