LENS-INDUCED INFLAMMATION

Course overview

THE CRYSTALLINE LENS IS THOUGHT TO HAVE THE IMMUNE PRIVILEGE, OR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM HAS TOLERANCE TO THE LENS PROTEINS. EXPOSURE OF THE LENS PROTEINS TO THE REST OF THE OCULAR STRUCTURES, WHETHER DUE TO TRAUMA, ADVANCED CATARACT, OR RETAINED CORTICAL MATTER POST-CATARACT SURGERY, CAUSES OCULAR INFLAMMATION. THE ARTIFICIALLY IMPLANTED INTRAOCULAR LENS IS MADE OF INERT MATERIAL AND DOES NOT USUALLY CAUSE INFLAMMATION BY ITSELF IF IT IS PLACED INSIDE THE CAPSULAR BAG. LENS-INDUCED INFLAMMATION CAUSES PAIN AND REDNESS IN THE EYE. IMMEDIATE RECOGNITION OF THE CONDITION WITH APPROPRIATE MANAGEMENT IS NECESSARY TO AVOID SEVERE OCULAR INJURY. THE FINAL MANAGEMENT OF LENS-INDUCED INFLAMMATION IS USUALLY SURGICAL. GOOD FINAL VISUAL ACUITY CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH PROMPT DIAGNOSIS AND OPTIMAL MANAGEMENT. THIS ACTIVITY EXPLORES THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, CLINICAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS, DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES, AND THE MANAGEMENT OF LENS-INDUCED INFLAMMATION.