Scleritis: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Scleritis is a condition associated with the problems of the sclera. Sclera is the protective layer which surrounds your eye. The white portion of your eye is known as sclera which are connected to different muscles that help the eye to move. When the sclera is severely inflamed and red it causes a lot of pain. Scleritis is mainly caused by the defect in your body’s immune system. There are different kinds of sclreritis depending on the type and location of inflammation. The different kinds of scleritis is classified by its position and where it affects. There are anterior (front) scleritis and posterior (back) scleritis. Anterior scleritis is the most common form of scleritis whereas the posterior scleritis is more difficult to diagnose and detect because it leads to various symptoms and other disorders. Scleritis is also associated with connective tissue disorders which are caused by the underlying disease of inflammation of the sclera and the adjoining muscles. Sometimes scleritis might be caused by various infections caused by bacteria and fungi. There are cases that scleritis might affect both the eyes where an underlying cause is always found. Scleritis is found to be non contagious and it can also occur from certain past surgery or traumatic experiences.

The treatment procedure for scleritis is mainly non surgical and your medical expert requires some information about your medical history. The treatment process of scleritis involves medications of Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which are used mostly for anterior scleritis which helps to reduce inflammation which eases the pain that you face. A drug called prednisone is used sometimes incase the NSAIDs do not work. The treatment procedure also involves oral drugs such as glucocorticoids to cure posterior scleritis. To prevent the infections of the sclera, antibiotics are also prescribed by licensed medical practitioners. In certain cases, surgery may be necessary which involves the procedure of repairing of tissues in the sclera to improve the proper functioning of the muscles in the sclera. The surgery also prevents vision impairment. Scleritis might cause partial or complete vision loss and there is also a slight chance that scleritis might come back despite the treatment procedure. If you are facing with scleritis, you need prompt treatment and consult an ophthalmologist on a daily basis if your scleritis symptoms improve gradually. Some common symptoms of scleritis are impaired vision, blurry vision, and sensitive to bright light, redness of the eyes, eye irritation and even pain caused by eye movement.

You need to start the treatment of scleritis if you have redness of the blood vessels on the sclera. The redness of the scleritis might also have a tint of violet. If you face problems with visual activity and there is a form of cloudness in the lens of your eye which causes your eye to be watery. You might also face irritation and a promptness to scratch and rub your eye in regular intervals. If scleritis is left untreated it can cause partial or complete visual impairness so if you face these problems, contact your medical expert now.

Individuals who have already undergone several past surgeries might not be allowed to have a surgery related to scleritis. Diabetic patients are not prescribed botoxilin which can hamper their blood pressure levels. If you already face heart problems then let your doctor know immediately as the antibiotics now have to be moderated according to your heart conditions.

Along with the treatment of scleritis it may come with some side effects. If you are diagnosed by scleritis then you might develop rheumatoid arthritis which is a disease associated with the inflammation of the joints. There are some cases that gradually some might develop Sjogren’s syndrome (an immune disorder that leads to dry eyes and dry mouth). Eye infections may or may not take place depending on how much care you take of your eyes.

If you have a surgery when suffering through scleritis then you must wash your face with your eyes absolutely closed for about a week. You must also need to be cautious about entrapping foreign particles in your eyes. You must also do regular eye exercises as prescribed by your medical expert and apply medications, ointments, drops at regular intervals. There is a possibility that scleritis might come back again so you must take proper care and consult your medical expert if the symptoms arrive again.

The recovery time of scleritis depends on the inflammation and the course of treatment that you receive. Usually the recovery time for scleritis takes about two to three weeks with proper medication and eye drops. If you are aged and the immune system of your body is not up to the mark, then the recovery time might take upto one month. However, there is always a chance that the scleritis might come back therefore you must keep in touch with your medical expert if the symptoms arrive again.

The cost of treatment depends on the type of inflammation and also the type of scleritis. If you undergo a surgery then it approximately ranges from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 55,000 and with additional medicines such as ointments, eye drops, antibiotics et. It might take approximately Rs. 2,500 to 5,000 (monthly).

The results of the scleritis are completely not permanent as there is always a slight chance that scleritis might reoccur depending on the condition of inflammation. The symptoms will go away after proper diagnosis but if the treatment is not carried out properly, gradually the symptoms might come back and the scleritis might come back again.