https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/conditions-we-treat/uveitis/
Uveitis
This webpage details important information about uveitis, the uveitis service at GOSH and how you can access further support.
What is uveitis?
The uvea is the middle ‘lining’ of the eye (the red layer in the diagram below). It holds much of the blood supply for the eye.
A diagram of the human eye
Uveitis means that the uvea is inflamed. Inflammation is a healing response which can be unnecessary, or overactive.
When the uvea is inflamed, blood vessels leak blood cells and proteins. This can cause damage to the structures inside the eye.
How do we treat uveitis?
Eye drops, oral medicine or injected medicines are used to treat uveitis. We have developed some new treatments, but they do not work in all children. A few children also need surgery for the damage caused by uveitis.
How do we monitor uveitis?
Children with uveitis need frequent eye checks with their specialist teams in order to keep them safe. Detecting uveitis inside the eye of children is a challenge, but a number of Children’s Eye clinics in specialist centres across the country have built up a lot of expertise in the assessment of childhood uveitis.
Why do children get uveitis?
In most cases we do not yet understand why children get the disorder.
You will find more information in our family education videos – please see the link further down this information page.
GOSH uveitis team
The Uveitis Team work on Thursday and Friday at GOSH, in the Sight and Sound Building, Level 2.
- Ameenat ‘Lola’ Solebo – Consultant Ophthalmologist
- Harry Petrushkin – Consultant Ophthalmologist
- Ilaria Testi – Consultant Ophthalmologist
- Anamika Patel – Fellow Ophthalmologist
- Christine Twomey – Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Reshma Pattani – Specialist Optometrist
- Mira Modhwadia – Specialist Orthoptist
- Meera Nagji & Eleanor Beresford - Optometrists
Your child should also have a paediatrician (based at your local hospital) involved in their care to help look after them or help look out for other conditions they might have.
Your child may also get input from the Rheumatology team at GOSH after they have been diagnosed with their other conditions by their local paediatric teams. As GOSH is a specialised care centre, we have no ‘general’ paediatric clinics. This means that access to paediatric specialists at GOSH usually needs referrals from local paediatric doctors.
The GOSH eye team can support your local paediatrician in identifying the right specialist team at GOSH.
Your local eye team will also continue to look after your child. As we do not have an eye casualty or walk-in service at GOSH, we will ask your local eye team to continue to see you (for example, every year or so). This way, we make sure that your local urgent eye care unit / casualty department has the information they need to keep your child safe if your child has an urgent eye health need between appointments with us.
MyGOSH
It is a web-based application that you can download on your mobile phone to view medical information, letters and appointments at GOSH. You can also contact the Uveitis Team directly using MyGOSH for queries. The team can advise you on how to set this up at your appointment.
Please go to the ‘ask a question’ section of the MyGOSH application and scroll down to the Uveitis Team. Please note that this is for non-urgent queries only. We aim to respond within two to three working days.
The Uveitis Team works at GOSH on Thursday and Friday so will reply then.
Appointment letters
Our administration team will make the next appointment for your child within the month after your appointment or sooner if needed.
You can view all letters on MyGOSH.
You will receive a letter in the post. Please make sure your address and contact number is up to date on the system – you can check this with the Sight and Sound reception team at your next appointment.
If you have any questions about an Outpatient appointment, please call the Outpatient Appointment Centre:
Telephone: 020 7829 8880.
To contact the Uveitis administrative team, please call main GOSH Switchboard:
Telephone: 020 7405 9200 - and then dial Extension 7887 (Rheumatology Secretaries).
Clinic appointment
Your child will have a vision test, eye pressure check, ocular imaging (a technique to view the retina and its layers) and slit lamp examination (an eye test using a social microscope with bright light to examine every part of the eye).
They help us check for any inflammation in the eye (uveitis) and possible side effects that a treatment may be having.
The appointment could be up to two hours. This will depend upon further investigations and referral to other clinicians. You may also need to wait for medication from the hospital pharmacy.
Contact lenses and glasses
Contact the Optometry Team with details on what contact lens you need and how many.
Email: OphthalmologySecretaries@gosh.nhs.uk
Telephone: 020 7405 9200Ext 8651
If you need your glasses or contact lenses updated, you need to have a ‘refraction’ to measure the eyes for the new prescription power. This can sometimes be done in the Uveitis Clinic if an optometrist is available.
If an optometrist is not available, we can book you into a “refraction only” clinic held on Tuesday PM at the Sight and Sound Building.
Alternatively, if it is suitable, you can make an appointment with your local eye clinic or local optician to update your prescription.
If you would like any further information about glasses or contact lenses, please contact the Optometry Team:
Email: OphthalmologySecretaries@gosh.nhs.uk
Telephone: 020 7405 9200 Ext 8651
Further information
Urgent eye care
Go to your local hospital A&E department (where your child’s local eye team is based).
Families already known to Moorfields Eye Hospital, and other families able to journey to central London, should go to Moorfields Eye Hospital. Moorfields Children’s Eye casualty is open 9am to 5pm, weekdays, and the main casualty is always open.
162 City Road, London, EC1V 2PD.
The closest tube station is Old Street (Northern Line via Bank).
Harry Petrushkin – Consultant Ophthalmologist
Ilaria Testi – Consultant Ophthalmologist
Anamika Patel – Fellow Ophthalmologist
Further information
Telephone: 020 7405 9200 Ext 8638 or Ext 1105
Please ask the Clinical Nurse Specialist who your local Shared Care Consultant is and how you contact them.
Again, it is really important that your local paediatrician and nursing team are closely involved in your blood monitoring and repeat prescriptions. This makes sure that your local team can provide urgent medical help if it is ever needed.
Blood monitoring
The Clinical Nurse Specialist will explain your child’s individual plan. This will also be set out in your child’s “Shared Care Letter” which is sent to your local paediatric team.
The Shared Care letter will explain the intervals between blood tests in more detail.
Sciensus
The Pharmaceutical company that will be organising the home delivery of the biologic (injected drugs usually ending in ‘mab’) medication if your child’s uveitis needs this. These home delivery medications do not come from GOSH Pharmacy.
The process from education at Great Ormond Street (GOSH) to delivery can take up to six weeks. The timings do vary.
Sciensus telephone: 0333 1039 499
There will be more details in your Sciensus leaflets enclosed with your medication.