Clinical Trial: Evaluation and Treatment of Patients With Inflammatory Eye Diseases

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: Evaluation and Treatment Protocol for Patients With Intraocular Inflammatory Disease (Uveitis)

Brief Summary:

This study offers evaluation and treatment for patients with inflammatory eye diseases, such as uveitis. The protocol is not designed to test new treatments; rather, patients will receive current standard of care treatments. The purpose of the study is twofold: 1) to allow National Eye Institute physicians to increase their knowledge of inflammatory eye conditions and identify new avenues of possible research in this area; and 2) to establish a pool of patients who may be eligible for new studies as they are developed. (Participants in this protocol will not be required to join a new study; the decision will be voluntary.)

Children and adults with uveitis and other inflammatory eye diseases may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a medical history, brief physical examination, thorough eye examination and blood tests. The eye examination includes measurements of visual acuity (ability to see the vision chart), eye pressure and dilation of the pupils to examine the lens and retina (back part of the eye). Patients may also undergo the following procedures:

Fundus photography - Special photographs of the inside of the eye to help evaluate the status of the retina and evaluate changes that may occur in the future. From 2 to 20 pictures may be taken, depending on the eye condition. The camera flashes a bright light into the eye for each picture.
Fluorescein angiography - Procedure to evaluate the eye's blood vessels. A yellow dye injected into an arm vein travels to the blood vessels in the eyes. Pictures of the retina are taken using a camera that flashes a blue light into the eye. The pictures show if any dye has leaked from the vessels into the retina, indicating possible blood vessel abnormality.