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PubMed This is a summary of 15 peer-reviewed journal articles Updated
Ophthalmology

Building Your Care Team and Preparing for Your Visit

At a Glance

Managing uveitis requires a care team led by a specialized ocular immunologist. Building a multidisciplinary team that includes a rheumatologist ensures both your eye health and underlying systemic conditions are treated safely using steroid-sparing therapies.

Managing uveitis often requires more than a single doctor. Because this condition can be linked to your immune system and other parts of your body, building a specialized care team is one of the most proactive steps you can take to protect your vision [1][2].

The Importance of a Specialist

While a general ophthalmologist can treat a simple case of eye inflammation, a Uveitis Specialist or Ocular Immunologist has completed extra training specifically in the diagnosis and long-term management of complex inflammatory eye diseases [3].

A specialist is more likely to:

  • Focus on Steroid-Sparing Strategies: They are experts in using medications that control the immune system without the long-term side effects of steroids [3][4].
  • Use Advanced Imaging: They often utilize more than just an OCT; they may use Fluorescein Angiography (FA) or Indocyanine Green Angiography (ICGA) to see inflammation in the deepest layers of the eye [5][6].
  • Identify Systemic Links: They are trained to look for patterns that suggest your eye inflammation might be part of a larger condition, like Sarcoidosis or Crohn’s disease [2][7].

Your Multidisciplinary Team

Because uveitis is often an “eye-only” symptom of a “body-wide” problem, you may need a team of experts working together [8][9]:

  1. Ophthalmologist/Uveitis Specialist: The “quarterback” of your eye care who manages the inflammation and monitors for complications like cataracts or glaucoma [7].
  2. Rheumatologist: A specialist in autoimmune diseases who often co-manages systemic medications like biologics or immunosuppressants [10][11].
  3. Primary Care Physician (PCP): Essential for monitoring your overall health, managing blood pressure, and screening for infections that must be ruled out before starting treatment [7][12].

Preparing for Your First Appointment

Your first visit with a specialist will be very thorough. Being prepared with the right information can help them reach a diagnosis more quickly.

Checklist: What to Bring

  • Imaging Records: Ask your previous doctor for the actual digital files (not just the reports) of your OCT scans, Fluorescein Angiography, and any retinal photos.
  • Lab Results: Bring copies of all recent blood work, specifically tests for HLA-B27, Syphilis (RPR/FTA-ABS), and TB (QuantiFERON) [13][14].
  • Medication History: Create a list of every eye drop or pill you have taken for your eyes, including the dose and how long you used it.
  • Symptoms Journal: Note when your flares started, which eye was affected first, and any “non-eye” symptoms like joint pain or skin rashes [7].

Vetting Your Specialist

When meeting a new specialist, don’t be afraid to ask about their experience. A good specialist should be comfortable discussing steroid-sparing protocols and have a clear plan for what to do if initial treatments fail [3][4]. They should also be able to explain how they will communicate with your other doctors to ensure your care is coordinated [1][15].

Common questions in this guide

Why do I need a uveitis specialist instead of a general eye doctor?
A uveitis specialist, or ocular immunologist, has extra training in diagnosing and managing complex inflammatory eye diseases. They often focus on steroid-sparing strategies and can identify if your eye inflammation is linked to a larger body-wide condition.
Which doctors should be on my uveitis care team?
Because uveitis can be linked to systemic immune issues, your team usually includes a uveitis specialist, a rheumatologist to help manage autoimmune medications, and a primary care physician to monitor your overall health.
What should I bring to my first uveitis appointment?
Bring digital files of your eye imaging scans, copies of recent lab work, a complete list of past and current medications, and a journal tracking both your eye and body symptoms.
What is steroid-sparing therapy for uveitis?
Steroid-sparing therapy involves using medications that control the immune system and reduce inflammation without the long-term side effects associated with continuous corticosteroid use.
How does a specialist check for deep eye inflammation?
Beyond standard exams, a specialist may use advanced multimodal imaging like Fluorescein Angiography or Indocyanine Green Angiography to see and monitor inflammation in the deepest layers of your eye's blood vessels.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Curated prompts to bring to your next appointment.

  1. 1.What percentage of your practice is dedicated specifically to uveitis and ocular immunology?
  2. 2.What is your protocol if my inflammation does not respond to corticosteroids, or if I become a 'steroid responder' with high eye pressure?
  3. 3.Do you personally manage systemic immunosuppressive medications like Methotrexate or biologics, or do you co-manage them with a rheumatologist?
  4. 4.How do you use multimodal imaging (like FA or ICGA) in addition to OCT to monitor the 'quiet' inflammation in my blood vessels?
  5. 5.Which other specialists (like rheumatologists or pulmonologists) do you regularly collaborate with for patients like me?
  6. 6.Am I a candidate for steroid-sparing therapy?
  7. 7.Who do I call after hours if I suspect a flare?

Questions For You

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References

References (15)
  1. 1

    Preoperative Optimization Strategies in Elective Spine Surgery.

    Daniels AH, Singh M, Knebel A, et al.

    JBJS reviews 2025; (13(2)) doi:10.2106/JBJS.RVW.24.00210.

    PMID: 39903820
  2. 2

    Reply on Comments on the paper "Clinical characteristics and treatment of pars planitis: an adalimumab experience" by Ozdemir et al.

    Ozdemir HB, Ozdal PC

    Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie 2022; (260(6)):2067 doi:10.1007/s00417-021-05528-y.

    PMID: 35088114
  3. 3

    Intermediate Uveitis: A Review.

    Teo AYT, Betzler BK, Hua KLQ, et al.

    Ocular immunology and inflammation 2023; (31(5)):1041-1060 doi:10.1080/09273948.2022.2070503.

    PMID: 35759636
  4. 4

    Clinical profile and treatment outcomes in pediatric uveitis - A series from South India.

    Mooss VS, Babu K

    Indian journal of ophthalmology 2024; (72(Suppl 4)):S584-S591 doi:10.4103/IJO.IJO_3131_22.

    PMID: 38317316
  5. 5

    Structural Endpoints and Outcome Measures in Uveitis.

    Wintergerst MWM, Liu X, Terheyden JH, et al.

    Ophthalmologica. Journal international d'ophtalmologie. International journal of ophthalmology. Zeitschrift fur Augenheilkunde 2021; (244(5)):465-479 doi:10.1159/000517521.

    PMID: 34062542
  6. 6

    American Society of Retina Specialists Clinical Practice Guidelines on Multimodal Imaging for Retinal Disease.

    Ramakrishnan MS, Kovach JL, Wykoff CC, et al.

    Journal of vitreoretinal diseases 2024; (8(3)):234-246 doi:10.1177/24741264241237012.

    PMID: 38770073
  7. 7

    Uveitis.

    Dunn JP

    Primary care 2015; (42(3)):305-23.

    PMID: 26319340
  8. 8

    Where Do We Stand in the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis Ahead of EULAR/ACR 2025?

    Vlad AL, Popazu C, Lescai AM, et al.

    Clinics and practice 2025; (15(6)) doi:10.3390/clinpract15060103.

    PMID: 40558221
  9. 9

    Pulmonary Hypertension: How to Best Treat the Different Scleroderma Phenotypes?

    Korman BD, Lachant DJ, Castelino FV

    Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America 2023; (49(2)):345-357 doi:10.1016/j.rdc.2023.01.015.

    PMID: 37028839
  10. 10

    Egyptian Consensus Guidance for Treatment of Adults with Non-Infectious Uveitis.

    El-Ghobashy N, El-Garf A, Mohamed Youssef M, et al.

    Ocular immunology and inflammation 2025; (33(7)):1313-1318 doi:10.1080/09273948.2025.2493362.

    PMID: 40314690
  11. 11

    Expert opinion on the use of biological therapy in non-infectious uveitis.

    Touhami S, Diwo E, Sève P, et al.

    Expert opinion on biological therapy 2019; (19(5)):477-490 doi:10.1080/14712598.2019.1595578.

    PMID: 30888881
  12. 12

    Management of Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in HIV and Non-HIV Patients.

    Pearce WA, Yeh S, Fine HF

    Ophthalmic surgery, lasers & imaging retina 2016; (47(2)):103-7 doi:10.3928/23258160-20160126-01.

    PMID: 26878441
  13. 13

    Contribution of diagnostic tests for the etiological assessment of uveitis, data from the ULISSE study (Uveitis: Clinical and medicoeconomic evaluation of a standardized strategy of the etiological diagnosis).

    Grumet P, Kodjikian L, de Parisot A, et al.

    Autoimmunity reviews 2018; (17(4)):331-343 doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2017.10.018.

    PMID: 29427823
  14. 14

    Bilateral papillitis and unilateral focal chorioretinitis as the presenting features of syphilis.

    Benson CE, Soliman MK, Knezevic A, et al.

    Journal of ophthalmic inflammation and infection 2015; (5()):16 doi:10.1186/s12348-015-0045-0.

    PMID: 26069511
  15. 15

    Multidisciplinary team care in advanced lung cancer.

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    Translational lung cancer research 2020; (9(4)):1690-1698 doi:10.21037/tlcr.2019.11.33.

    PMID: 32953542

This guide to building a uveitis care team is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Always consult your ophthalmologist or rheumatologist about your specific situation.

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