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Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
WHAT IS JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS (JIA)?
JIA, or juvenile idiopathic arthritis, is when a child’s joints get swollen, inflamed and injured. To be called JIA, that swelling has to last more than 6 weeks and start before age 16 years. It is the most common cause of arthritis in kids.
The exact cause of JIA is not known, but it happens when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the body.
IS JIA THE SAME AS JUVENILE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (JRA)?
Yes, JIA is a newer name for what doctors used to call (JRA). They mean the same thing.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF JIA?
Children with JIA can have:
- joint pain
- joints that are tender to touch
- redness over the joint
- trouble moving or walking
- fever
- Skin rashes
CAN THE EYES BE AFFECTED BY JIA?
Yes. JIA can cause inflammation inside the eye(s). Doctors (ophthalmologists) call this iritis or uveitis. JIA is the most common cause of uveitis in children.
Unlike other types of eye inflammation, the inflammation from JIA does not usually cause an eye to be red or painful. But that swelling in the eye can harm the vision if it is not treated.
This is why it is very important for children with JIA to get their eyes checked often.
Fig. 1: Signs of uveitis in the eye. That white band across the pupil (black spot in the center of the eye) forms when there has been inflammation in the eye for a long time.
WHAT HAPPENS IF UVEITIS IS NOT TREATED?
Without treatment, eye inflammation can cause:
- high eye pressure (glaucoma)
- cloudy spots in the lenses of the eyes (cataracts)
- calcium deposits in the cornea (band keratopathy) – see Fig 1 above
- scarring of the pupil (posterior synechiae)
- swelling in the retina (macular edema)
- swelling of the optic nerve that connects the eye to the brain (papillitis)
All of these problems can cause very blurry vision and even blindness.
HOW IS UVEITIS TREATED?
There are different medicines to help calm down the immune system and help the inflammation in the eye.
- Steroid eye drops
- Other eye drops to make the pupil larger, helps with eye pain and scarring
- Steroids by mouth (pills or liquid)
- Steroids as an injection around the eye
- Other medicines by mouth or injected into the body to calm the immune system
The eye doctor (ophthalmologist) will often work with a rheumatologist, a doctor for arthritis and autoimmune problems treat uveitis.
Surgery may be needed for some eye problems from uveitis.
WILL THE UVEITIS EVER COME BACK?
Yes, it can come back and it may not cause eye redness or pain. This is why regular eye check-ups with an ophthalmologist are SO IMPORTANT. Your doctors will tell you how often the eye check-ups need to be.
WHICH DOCTORS HELP CHILDREN WITH JIA?
JIA is best treated with a team of doctors.
- A primary care doctor
- An arthritis doctor (rheumatologist)
- A bone and joint doctor (orthopedic surgeon)
- An eye doctor (ophthalmologist)
WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION REGARDING JIA?
Updated: 11/2024
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