The duration
Episcleritis is a common disease that heals within two weeks. There is hardly any permanent damage. However, the risk of recurrence is increased.
The course of the scleritis varies considerably from patient to patient. For this reason it is difficult to predict the duration. In many patients the disease becomes chronic and does not heal for months. Over time, the other eye may also become inflamed. For this reason, it is especially important to treat the scleritis at an early stage and identify the causes.
What is the difference to conjunctivitis?
In conjunctivitis, only the conjunctiva is affected. The dermis remains uninvolved. In order to better understand the exact difference, one should look at an anatomical image of the eye.
Furthermore, the two clinical pictures differ significantly in their causes. Conjunctivitis is usually caused by infections. Non-infectious causes are foreign bodies in the eye, allergies or too dry eyes can irritate the conjunctiva and cause inflammation.
Most causes of scleritis are idiopathic or caused by systemic diseases. The symptoms of conjunctivitis are a reddened and burning eye. In addition, one may have a foreign body sensation, the conjunctiva may swell and there may be increased production of tears.
Light sensitivity and blurred vision may also occur. These symptoms are similar to the symptoms of scleritis. Therefore, it is essential to take a medical history and a thorough ophthalmological examination.