The uvea, or uveal tract, is the pigmented, blood-rich middle layer of the eye. It is made up of three continuous parts: the iris at the front, the ciliary body in the middle and the choroid at the back. Together they nourish the eye, control light entry, adjust focus and produce aqueous humour.
| Location | Middle coat of the eyeball, between the sclera and the retina |
|---|---|
| Parts | |
| Nerve Supply | Short and long ciliary nerves (sensory, sympathetic and parasympathetic fibres) |
| Blood Supply | Short and long posterior ciliary arteries; Anterior ciliary arteries |
Supplies blood to the outer retina and anterior segment, absorbs stray light, regulates pupil size, controls lens focus and makes aqueous humour.
Inflammation of any part is called uveitis and is grouped as anterior, intermediate, posterior or panuveitis. Anterior uveitis gives a painful red eye with photophobia and is linked to HLA-B27 conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis. Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular cancer in adults.
Inflammation of the uveal tract, which may be autoimmune, infectious or idiopathic. Untreated, it can cause glaucoma, cataract and macular oedema.
A malignant tumour arising from uveal melanocytes, most often in the choroid. It can spread to the liver.
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