Eye Inflammation is often left out of conversations about chronic inflammation. You’ve probably read articles or heard friends talk about how bad inflammation is for your body, and this is just as true for your eyes.

First, though, it’s helpful to understand that there are two types of inflammation. The first one is a natural immune system response that happens because of an injury or infection, according to Harvard Health Publishing. It is needed to help your body heal from an injury or fight off an infection. When the threat disappears, the inflammation usually subsides.

Problems arise when the inflammation persists. Then it becomes the other type: chronic inflammation. That can be dangerous to your heart, mental health, digestive system — and your eyes.

“Inflammation can affect both the surface and internal structures of the eyes,” says David Teed, O.D. He is an optometrist who practices at America’s Best Eyesore + Eyewear in McKinney, Texas.

“Patients will say they have red, watery, sore eyes, sensitivity to light, blurry vision, or dryness.” The symptoms can affect one or both eyes.

Eye exams are an essential part of your health care routine. Book an appointment today!

How Inflammation Works

When you get injured or are exposed to a virus, it activates your immune system. This sends white blood cells to the area to protect it and fight off the invader.

That process is called inflammation: it’s a sign that your body is starting to heal itself. You may see swelling, or the area may get red or painful, which

Anyone can have inflammation as a reaction to an acute injury or illness, but chronic inflammation is a hallmark of many life-threatening health problems as well as autoimmune disorders.

Autoimmune disorders are conditions where the body’s own immune system turns against itself, attacking healthy cells in organs and tissues. Even though the danger that originally triggered the immune response is over, the body continues sending the inflammatory cells, and that can cause lasting damage to your body and your eyes.

Eye Inflammation Types 

There are several kinds of inflammation that might occur in your eye, but these are some of the most common:  

• Uveitis: This is inflammation that affects the middle layer of the eye. Often, it’s the result of an infection. 
• Keratitis: Also called a corneal ulcer, this is inflammation of the cornea. That’s the clear exterior layer of your eye. 
• Conjunctivitis: This inflammation of the eye is also called pink eye, and it affects the lining of your eyelid and the white part of your eye. 

Eye Inflammation Symptoms 

Eye irritation is so common, many people ignore it longer than they should. But eye inflammation can be serious, so take note of anything out of the ordinary that’s happening with your eyes.  

“Patients will say they have red, watery, sore eyes; sensitivity to light; blurry vision, or dryness,” says Dr. Teed. These symptoms can affect one or both eyes. 

Other symptoms that signal eye inflammation include: 

• Eye pain or pressure of any type 
• A gritty, sandy feeling in your eyes 
• Vision changes 

Dr. Teed cautions that you should see your eye doctor right away if you experience any of the symptoms that are associated with inflammation. 

How Long Does Eye Inflammation Last? 

The duration of any episode of eye inflammation depends on its cause. If the eye is injured, inflammation will die down when it heals. If a virus is the cause, getting better should end the pain and swelling in your eye.  

The inflammation becomes chronic inflammation when your eyes have been inflamed for six weeks or more. 

5 Illnesses That Could Cause Eye-Damaging Inflammation

Many times, an illness is what causes recurring eye inflammation. There are more than 100 autoimmune diseases, according to the Autoimmune Association, some of which target the eyes. Among the most common are:

Graves’ disease. The immune system attacks the thyroid gland, causing it to produce more hormones than necessary, leading to hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid). For more than one-third of patients, the disease also attacks eye muscles and tissues and can lead to pain, sensitivity to light, red or swollen eyes, blurry or double vision, and bulging eyes.

For more on ways Graves’ disease can affect the eyes, read “Are Your Dry, Red Eyes the Sign of a Thyroid Problem?” here. 

Sjögren’s syndrome. This condition affects various tear- and saliva-producing glands. In the eyes, it can lead to extreme dryness, which is very uncomfortable and can affect your vision.

Giant cell arteritis. With this condition, the linings of arteries — especially those in the head — become inflamed, according to the Mayo Clinic. That slows the blood flow through those vessels, which can have a devastating effect on your sight. It can also create double vision or even a sudden and permanent loss of vision.

Multiple sclerosis. Here, the immune system attacks and damages the protective coating around the nerves. That can trigger inflammation of the optic nerve, says the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. You may lose color vision, feel eye pain, or have blurry or dim vision.

Lupus. This condition affects the skin, joints, kidneys, and heart. You may also notice swelling around your eyes, according to the National Library of Medicine.

How to Protect Your Eyes from Inflammation

“If inflammation shows up, you really have to stomp on it,” says Dr. Teed. “Inflammatory cells inside your eyes are sticky. What they can also do is clog up the drain where the fluid inside your eye goes out. That can spike pressure and cause chronic, long-term vision problems.”

If you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, you’re probably already under the care of a specialist, who will directly treat the condition. That will help you manage flare-ups that affect your eyes, but your eye doctor should also be part of your core medical team.

There are several eye inflammation medicines to be aware of:  

• Artificial tears, which are the first line of defense against dryness.  
• Steroids, which are prescribed to treat eye inflammation. 
• Prescription medications that decrease inflammation and increase tear production

You’ll need to return to the office for a follow-up visit to ensure that medications you are taking are working and to plan next steps that will maintain the health of your eyes, he adds.

Letting inflammation flare-ups happen unchecked leaves you vulnerable to unnecessary suffering, says Dr. Teed. But it can also lead to secondary conditions that threaten your sight. Dr. Teed says the primary worry is glaucoma, which is a disease in which pressure builds up and damages the optic nerve. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and low vision in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Why Annual Eye Exams Are Important

Your eyes reveal a lot about your overall health. That’s just one more reason to have regular eye exams, which can detect inflammation. In fact, optometrists are often the first ones to pick up on signs of diabetes within the eyes, which appears as bleeding or fluid leakage in the retina, says Dr. Teed.

“The No. 1 enemy of the eyes is diabetes,” he says. Though type 1 diabetes is considered an autoimmune condition, research also shows that chronic inflammation plays a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Both types can lead to the development of eye complications including diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can also lead to blindness.

If autoimmune eye inflammation or a chronic disease is suspected, your optometrist will refer you back to your primary care physician or to a specialist for further evaluation. Treating the underlying disease is key to maintaining your vision.

You might be tempted to find out how to treat eye inflammation naturally, but that can lead to problems down the line. Ask your optometrist if any natural remedies would be appropriate. 

Some of the simplest ways to help prevent eye inflammation are the same healthy lifestyle habits that help improve your overall well-being, adds Dr. Teed. For example, he recommends a healthy diet and solid sleep. 

Stress management strategies and regular exercise can also help tame inflammation, he adds.   And icome up with a plan to quit.  

Good health habits like this can prevent vision problems down the line.