Common Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Effective in Treating Rare Eye Disease

The commonly used medication for rheumatoid arthritis, adalimumab, was found to be effective in treating non-infectious uveitis during a recent study.

Uveitis is a rare eye disease that affects up to 5 in 10,000 individuals. Non-anterior, non-infectious uveitis affects approximately 40% of sufferers, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“We were able to prospectively demonstrate for the very first time that non-infectious uveitis can also be successfully treated with a cortisol-free medication, that will significantly improve the management of uveitis patients who have only partially responded to corticosteroids,” said researcher Talin Barisani-Asenbauer.

Although inflammation typically affects the inner eye, it can also affect other parts of the eye, such as the retina and the vitreous body. Initial symptoms include floaters in the visual field, blurred vision, visual disturbances, and photosensitivity.

Potential complications of uveitis included glaucoma, cataracts, loss of vision, or macular oedema.