Teachers, professors and bosses of uveitis patients

Uveitis is a type of ocular inflammation that causes fluctuations in the vision of patients who suffer from it. The severity and duration of these fluctuations can vary greatly from person to person, depending on the cause, the recurrence of inflammatory episodes and the ocular structures that are affected. Uveitis is a complex disease to treat and manage. Therefore, it can cause difficulties in patients' lives, especially in the academic and work environment.

Uveitis patients may face situations that hinder with their usual performance. Therefore, the implementation of accommodations that fit their needs would result in normal, productive and efficient curricular continuation. All patients are different and each case is unique, but here are some important aspects to take into consideration:

1. Uveitis is a medical emergency.

2. Uveitis is not a contagious or transmissible disease.

3. Uveitis is not a noticeable disease. That is, for the most part it does not produce symptoms readily visible to others. It is considered an invisible disease.

4. Uveitis is an episodic disease. That is, it is characterized by episodes of inflammation between periods of inactivity. The greatest visual difficulty occurs during active episodes of inflammation.

5. Episodes of inflammation arise spontaneously and recurrence of these will be unique to each case. Episodes of inflammation should be treated urgently.

6. Visual fluctuations are common. The vision of uveitis patients worsens when the inflammation reactivates and gradually improves as the inflammation responds to treatment. In more severe or chronic cases, patients' vision may be permanently affected.

7. Uveitis patients usually still have enough vision to perform most daily activities without the need for tools or permanent assistance. They do not meet the criteria for legal or total blindness, but neither do they have normal vision. However, some visual difficulties they may present are: difficulty in perceiving different textures, colors, small letters, recognizing faces, etc.

8. Chronic diseases require more comprehensive and prolonged management than acute

diseases.

9. There will be times when uveitis patients will have to be absent because of medical appointments. Follow-up appointments are scheduled in advance, but in cases where uveitis is reactivated, appointments will be urgent and immediate, without prior notice.

10. Treatments for uveitis can be administered through topical, oral, injections or intravenous infusions. Each case is different, but it is common for patients to apply eye drops several times a day and/or take medications in pill form daily.

11. Treatments for uveitis sometimes produce side effects that are difficult to tolerate and manage, which could lead to health complications or emergencies.

12. Most cases of uveitis are idiopathic; that is, the exact cause of the inflammation is unknown. On the other hand, some uveitis patients have another medical condition that must also be addressed, such as arthritis or vasculitis. Therefore, must attend various appointments with doctors of different specialties.

13. Fluctuation or loss of vision cannot be corrected with glasses.

14. Other than adhering to medical treatment, there is nothing uveitis patients can do to prevent inflammation. It is not a disease that can be prevented through lifestyle adjustments or caused by it.

15. Being under medical treatment does NOT guarantee that uveitis will be completely controlled. Some cases do not respond to initial treatments and it takes a period of time before the uveitis finally achieves "remission" or inactivity.

16. In the academic community, the use of certain electronic devices during class time is

stigmatized and prohibited. However, devices such as smartphones or tablets have many tools that help low vision patients without the need to invest money in more expensive devices.

The implementation of accommodations that fit the needs of uveitis patients would be of great benefit to all. The management should be coordinated with the appropriate administrative staff of the institution.