The retina itself can become inflamed (RETINITIS), due to infection or autoimmune processes. CYTOMEGALOVIRUS is a frequent cause of retinitis and most commonly affects patients with HIV/AIDS. HERPES can also cause a severe form of retinitis known as ACUTE RETINAL NECROSIS. Fungi such as CANDIDA can also cause retinitis. Infectious retinitis may require injection of antimicrobial drugs directly into the eye, along with systemic drug therapy.

Occasionally, autoimmune processes appear to directly affect the retinal tissue. BEHCET'S DISEASE is the best known of these processes.

The retina does not heal well after inflammation, and for this reason, all forms of retinitis can be very destructive and require aggressive therapy with antimicrobial agents, STEROIDS, or IMMUNOMODULATORY drugs, depending on the cause of the inflammation.

Retinal blood vessels can also become inflamed, a process termed RETINAL VASCULITIS. Since this is frequently part of a systemic infectious or autoimmune process, it is important to determine if inflammation is active elsewhere in the body. SARCOIDOSIS is an example of a systemic immune disease that causes retinal vasculitis. All types of retinal vasculitis are treated much the same way as uveitis in the back of the eye, i.e. with steroid injections, systemic steroids, and immunomodulatory drugs as necessary.