Treatment of Uveitis Associated with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Chronic anterior uveitis affects 10-30% of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and is still a cause of blindness in childhood. In most patients it is asymptomatic, bilateral, and recurrent, so careful screening and early diagnosis are important to obtain the best long-term prognosis. The treatment of chronic uveitis associated with JIA is challenging. Initial treatment is based on topical steroids and mydriatic drops. Methotrexate is the most common first-line immunomodulatory drug used. For refractory patients, biologicals, mainly the anti-tumor-necrosis-factor (TNF) drugs adalimumab and infliximab, have been revealed to be effective and have changed the outcome for these patients. Collaboration between pediatric rheumatologists and ophthalmologists is important for the successful diagnosis and treatment of patients with uveitis associated with JIA.