[Climate therapy of uveitis in a mountain environment]

Abstract

Climatotherapy as part of treatment of intraocular inflammatory diseases has a worldwide renaissance due to recent research. The stimulating climate in high mountains leads to induction of defence mechanisms in the organism. In these mechanisms participates in particular the neurovegetative, cardiovascular, thermoregulating and immune system. An important effect of climatotherapy is marked vascularization of tissues and increased ACTH and glucocorticoid secretion, and this along with the immunosuppressive action of light during heliotherapy leads to physiological immunosuppression. This fact is significant in particular in the treatment of uveitis and raises hope of reduced doses of corticoids and immunosuppressive drugs which reduces the risk of undesirable side-effects of this treatment. The results of climatotherapy is in many instances a reduced number of relapses of inflammatory diseases, shortening of the period of the acute attack and a milder course of the attack.