Inflammation

Inflammation of the eye

Inflammation of the eye can be caused by several factors, including bacterial and viral infection, chemical irritants, foreign body in the eye or an allergic reaction.  The symptoms of inflammation of the eye include itching and burning, or the eyes and eyelids, watery discharge from the eye, a sensation of a foreign body in the eye, redness, swollen eyelids and blurred vision.  These symptoms are caused by the production of chemicals such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes.by inflammatory cells at the site inflammation.  

Steroid treatment

The corticosteroid prednisolone, a synthetic steroid with potent anti-inflammatory properties, is an effective treatment for steroid-responsive inflammation of the eye.  Prednisolone should not be used for inflammation that is caused by an infection, since it weakens the immune system and can cause an infection to become more severe and symptoms may be masked.