Ocular Manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease connected to the immune system, with a predilection for the gastrointestinal tract. However, a large proportion of the patients have extraintestinal manifestations (EIM), and the ocular system is affected in some patients. The clinical presentation of ocular pathology is broad, ranging from asymptomatic cases to blindness, leading to high morbidity. Ocular complications can be primary and, in general, are associated with episodes of acute flare-ups that subside with immunological management of the digestive disease. Secondary complications arise from the primary ones and as adverse effects of immunological treatment. In addition, on many occasions, the ocular manifestation may appear prior to the presentation of digestive symptoms. The presence of a multidisciplinary team that includes a gastroenterologist and an ophthalmologist is important in order to achieve early diagnosis of ocular complications, thereby preventing, treating, and avoiding unfavorable and irreversible long-term ocular sequelae.

Keywords: crohn’s disease; episcleritis; inflammatory bowel disease; ocular; scleritis and uveitis; ulcerative colitis.