ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic - or minimally so, eye conditions like uveitis, iritis, and glaucoma are silent stealthily blinding diseases, especially when present in children. The iritis that accompanies Juvenile Idiopathic or Rheumatoid Arthritis (JIA or JRA) is characteristically asymptomatic. Children with these must be examined regularly and routinely(see Reference 1 and Table) on an opthalmologic biomicroscopic slit lamp for the microscopic cells (and aqueous flare) which occurr in the anterior chamber of the eye, signaling the presence of iritis, and an immediate need for anti-inflammatory agents. Such an exam is also indicated when the so afflicted develop most any symptoms of a new or recurrent eye problem. Slit lamp iritis determination remains challenging. It virtually requires a major, not portable, table mounted and expensive biomicroscope. And the examiner designated in schedules (1) is a trained ophthalmolgist,, an "Eye M.D.". Both. There are times and places throughout the world where and when a slit lamp may be available but there is no Eye MD (or qualified ophthalmic technician or assistant) available in a timely manner to timely examine for iritis when such is needed as noted. However, there are theoretical advantages if a parent could detect iritis in their J I A child if a slit lamp were available, if they had been trained to use it and recognize iritis cells and flare. METHODS: A portable model of varying iritis severity was developed. Parents of JIA patients were instructed on slit lamp use and then attempted to match unknown models of iritis severity with known training models of varying concentrations of cells and flare. RESULTS: Twelve parents ranked the 5 unknowns with an average summed deviation from expected of 2.2 +/-2 grade levels (out of 12). This was a good and useful degree of training. CONCLUSION: We were able to teach lay adults to match a model of iritis severity on a slit lamp. We would suggest that where needed, they could provide urgent and more convenient and faster diagnosis and treatment of recurrent iritis and also augment recommended scheduled Eye MD screening for iritis in JIA patients providing an effectively higher level of care, quality of life, and reduction in loss of vision for JIA victims at lower cost and greater facility for the patients, their caregivers and society as a whole.
