SYMPATHETIC OPHTHALMIA

It is an inflammatory disease of one eye (“sympathized eye”) caused by sensitization of the eye to antigens released from the other eye (“sympathetic eye”) after perforate injury, operation or inflammation. It occurs usually 2-12 weeks after the injury or illness, and it can occur even after many years. It is manifested in symptoms of panuveitis. It is treated with steroids and cytostatics. If the medical treatment has no effect, the sympathetic eye is removed, unless it has a better vision than the sympathized one. The prognosis is bad – often blindness in both eyes.