Inflammatory conditions of the eye associated with rheumatic diseases.

Ocular inflammation occurs in many patients with systemic rheumatic disease. The best examples are rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, temporal arteritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Wegener's granulomatosis, polyarteritis nodosa, relapsing polychondritis, and Adamantiades-Behçet's disease. Ocular inflammation may precede the symptoms of the systemic disease and can be helpful in systemic diagnosis. After diagnosis, ocular inflammation can mark the severity of the systemic condition. Thus, prompt diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory conditions of the eye are warranted and may be sight- and life-saving.