IRITIS, SCLERITIS, EPISCLERITIS
PAUL R. HONAN, M.D.
Iritis is an inflammation of the iris, which is the colored part of the eye surrounding the
pupil. It causes redness of the eye, sensitivity to light and pain. If untreated it might
damage the eye. Cells of inflammation can be observed with the ophthalmologist’s
microscope in the area in front of the pupil. It is an inflammation and not an infection.
There is a difference between an inflammation without an infection and an inflammation
with infection. Hives are inflamed but are not infections while a boil is also inflamed but is
an infection usually with pus. The cause of iritis is usually unknown.
The usual treatment is with prednisone type eye drops, drops to dilate the pupil to relieve
pain and light sensitivity and sometimes prednisone tablets. Dilating the pupil also helps
to prevent adhesions to the lens of the eye, which is located just behind the pupil. With
this treatment regimen the pain and light sensitivity usually are relieved in several days and
the iritis recovers in a few weeks.
Scleritis and episcleritis are inflammation in the sclera or white of the eye. Scleritis is a
deep inflammation and episcleritis is more superficial. It may be difficult to differentiate
between the two conditions. Episcleritis can appear as a red spot usually raised area up
to the size of a dime. It is very painful and the eye is very sensitive to light. It may cause
damage to the eye.
The usual treatment of scleritis and episcleritis is prednisone type eye drops, eye drops to
dilate the pupil and perhaps prednisone tablets. The course of the disease may continue
for weeks and months. In some people the prednisone type medications may cause the
pressure inside the eye to elevate and may result in glaucoma or even cataracts.
In this office the usual treatment for iritis, scleritis and episcleritis is prescribed. In
addition a new type of treatment learned from another ophthalmologist has been
recommended for the last few years. It has been observed to relieve the pain more
rapidly and shorten the duration of these conditions. Vitamin C 2000mg by mouth every
waking hour seems to be effective in relieving the pain and redness in a few hours or
overnight. More vitamin C than the body needs can result in diarrhea (called bowel
dosage by Robert Cathcart, M.D.) It is very rare that diarrhea occurs used in these
dosages for these conditions. Absence of diarrhea indicates that the conditions for which
it is being used really “need” these high doses for healing. Large doses of vitamin C
hourly must be continued until bowel dosage begins to occur. As inflammation improves
the body needs less vitamin C. Diarrhea is the body’s way of indicating it no longer
needs the higher doses. Then the dosage can gradually be reduced to 1000mg hourly,
then every 2 hours and 4 hours. If the vitamin C is stopped suddenly too early in the
treatment, the inflammation can reoccur. After recovery a maintenance dose of vitamin C
of 1000 to 2000mg 3 times a day is probably advisable.
Most animals make their own vitamin C. We humans do not make our own vitamin C.
Vitamin C taken by mouth lasts in our bodies only a few hours and must be replaced
several times daily. An animal the size of an adult human makes 6000 to 12,000 mg
vitamin C daily and much more when sick or injured. Cardiologist Thomas Levy, M.D.
in Denver has written a book titled “Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, and Toxins”. He has
shown that large doses of vitamin C (25, 000 to 50,000mg) intravenously are effective in
curing viral and bacterial diseases. Intravenous vitamin C does not cause diarrhea.
In this office shingles (a virus disease) has been treated effectively with large doses of
vitamin C administered intravenously.
Although I have not administered it intravenously on cases scleritis and episcleritis it is
certainly a viable option. Dr. Levy treats all virus infections with intravenous vitamin C.
The cause of iritis and scleritis and episcleritis has not been found.
In this office the usual prednisone type therapy is prescribed for the treatment of iritis,
scleritis and episcleritis. Supplemental Vitamin C therapy is also recommended. It is
likely new to you and your doctor may never have heard of it. Our office has found that
the new therapy using supplemental vitamin C in the proper dosage results in more rapid
recovery, less light sensitivity and pain.
