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Uveitis due to tuberculosis

One of the first things we do when we see a case of uveitis is to rule out an infectious cause. In Asia,  tuberculosis (TB)  is one of the common infections that lead to uveitis. TB (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) can live in almost any tissue in the body . In the eye it can affect both the front and back of the eye causing anterior and posterior uveitis . The TB organism reaches the eye through the blood stream. The chest X-ray may be normal and patients may have no cough. Despite receiving the BCG vaccination, many can still have TB in the eye.

How do we diagnose TB in the eye?

A special skin test called the Mantoux test or a quantiferon test is usually done as an indirect method to diagnose tuberculosis of the eye. If a person has a cough we usually send the sputum or phlegm for testing to detect the TB germ . Unfortunately in the eye it is sometimes difficult to obtain the fluid specimens from the eye and we still rely a lot on examination findings and indirect tests. Sometimes vitrectomy surgery can be done to get specimens from the eye. Once the diagnosis is made patients respond well to treatment with antituberculous drugs in combination with steroid treatment. The minimum duration of treatment is 6 months but can go on to 18 months. A reassuring fact is that TB in the eye is not contagious.

Cataract Surgery

What is a cataract?

A cataract is clouding of the lens in your eye. This is usually due to old age but can also occur due to trauma, diabetes, or due to medications.

Cataract surgery is done when the lens in your eye has become cloudy making it difficult for you to see well enough to carry out your usual daily activities. If the cataract is not removed, your vision may stay the same, but it will probably gradually get worse. Waiting for a longer period of time may make the operation more difficult. If you are considering surgery, please let the doctor know if you are taking the following medications: Flomax (Tamsulosin), Doxazosin, Asprin, or any blood thinning drugs like Warfarin, Plavix or Ticlid (Dipyradimole). These medications may need to be stopped before surgery.

You can listen to Dr Fong talking about cataract surgery.

Phacoemulsification surgery

The purpose of the operation is to replace the cataract with a plastic lens (implant) inside your eye. This usually done under local anesthesia. With a local anaesthetic you will be awake during the operation. You will not be able to see what is happening, but you will be aware of a bright light...

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Food For Your Eyes Food For Your Eyes

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