I’ve been on Simponi for about a year for PIC (after being on Humira and developing antibodies to that). The Simponi is working so far, but my new Aetna medicare advantage insurance plan is denying any refills, after 3 appeals. They say it’s “off label” which is true, but... View Details

I have been diagnosed with birdshot choryoretinopathy and have been prescribed Mycophenolate (500 mg) , one pill twice daily for 2 weeks, then two pills twice daily for another two weeks, until three pills twice daily. Is that the usual prescription? It seems to be over prescribed. Why not... View Details

Hey everyone, I’m new to the forum. Since 2020, I have been dealing with non-infective anterior uveitis HLA B27 positive, managed successfully with Prednisolone eye drops. Due to frequent recurrences this past year, my immunologist is considering adalimumab therapy to reduce Prednisolone usage. I’m seeking experiences with adalimumab biosimilars... View Details

Birdshot Retinochoroidopathy C. Stephen Foster, MD, FACS, FACR What is Birdshot Retinochoroidopathy? Birdshot retinochoroidopathy, commonly referred to simply as “birdshot”, is a rare form of posterior uveitis which mainly affects the retina and choroid. The disease occurs in women more often than men, typically Caucasian, and most often between... View Details

Originally, I was diagnosed with APMPPE in 2017, and did not have uveitis, just the beginnings of an epiretinal membrane. Unfortunately, I developed uveitis within the past year, and my new Opthamologist has declared my condition to be Birdshot chorioretinopathy (as I now have tested positive for HLA-A29). I... View Details

I recently was told after 30 years of chronic uveitis that its all connected to the HLA B27 gene found in my new blood work. I had never heard of this genetic connection from any doctor before. Just wondering if anyone else has and what exactly did it mean... View Details

Hi, I’m 26F and have been dealing with intermediate uveitis since May 2023. I’ve had a trickle down of neurological symptoms since March 2023, new/worsening symptoms over time are severely affecting me and my life. I was on a low dose of prednisone up until October 2023, which helped... View Details

By Zihan Yu and Frances Foster, MS, NP Review of the article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5682732/ This blog is a summary of the effects of various diets on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but we feel this can be applied to ocular inflammatory disease as well. It is has been reported in some studies... View Details

Do you know what day it is today? It is Rare Disease Day 2022! Uveitis is a rare disease that accounts for the third leading cause of blindness worldwide. It has a global impact with a significant burden of disease. First, it is a major cause of legal blindness, and... View Details

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) COVID19 Patient Information Update for MERSI Eye Center and OIUF Under Governor Baker’s Phase 2 reopening guidelines for Massachusetts, medical practices are now able to provide all care, including routine appointments.  MERSI has remained open throughout the pandemic, treating our essential patients with great success.  We have... View Details

COVID19 Patient Information Update for MERSI Eye Center and OIUF As you may have heard, Governor Baker has issued “A Stay in Place Order” for the state of Massachusetts for all non-essential businesses beginning at noon on March 24, 2020.   MERSI is considered essential, but we will need to restrict... View Details

Dear Patients, We always recommend for those of you on immunomodulatory therapy to be vigilant about practicing universal precautions to prevent getting ill (see below). The flu is a concern each year, which is why we recommend and encourage you to get the flu shot and now, we have... View Details

By C. Stephen Foster, MD, FACS, FACR Did you know that Uveitis/OID is the third leading cause of blindness in developed countries? It is the third leading cause of blindness because patients are left on chronic steroid therapy, which causes vision-robbing problems of glaucoma and cataract, or they are... View Details

By Stephen D. Anesi, MD, FACS This time of year is always a time for reflection, but also a time to look to the future. As we enter into this new decade, starting with the year 2020, I wanted to share some of the thoughts I have had during... View Details

By C. Stephen Foster, MD, FACS, FACR and Frances Foster, MS, NP In Highlight of Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, We Advocate, of course, eyewear protection and sunglasses, but will focus on the importance of vision screening in this blog. Undetected and untreated vision problems can interfere with... View Details

by C. Stephen Foster, MD, FACS, FACR Uveitis is a serious complication of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Approximately 6% of all cases of uveitis occur in children, and up to 80% of all cases of anterior uveitis in childhood are associated with JIA. Although remarkable progress has been made... View Details

by C. Stephen Foster, MD, FACS, FACR Cataract develops in patients with uveitis because of the uveitis itself and also because of the steroids which is the cornerstone of treating uveitis. Cataract developing in an eye with a history of chronic or recurrent uveitis has historically been called cataracta... View Details

C. Stephen Foster, MD, FACS, FACR Dr. Foster et al. recently published a chart review of all Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid (OCP) patients seen at the Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution (MERSI) between 2005 and 2015 to look at the management of OCP with Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) as the... View Details

AIDS and the Eye C. Stephen Foster, MD, FACS, FACR The ocular manifestations of AIDS revolve primarily around infectious and malignant disease. Prior to the advent of multi-drug “cocktail” therapy for HIV infection, opportunistic infectious disease of the eye was extremely common, and, in fact was a sentinel “marker”... View Details

Association of Ocular Inflammatory Disease with Inflammatory Bowel Disease C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S, F.A.C.R. Even more surprising than the association between arthritis and eye inflammation, at least to some people, is the association between bowel inflammation and eye inflammation. But history tells us that such an association exists.... View Details

Birdshot Retinochoroidopathy C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S, F.A.C.R. What is Birdshot Retinochoroidopathy? Birdshot retinochoroidopathy, commonly referred to simply as “birdshot”, is a rare form of posterior uveitis which mainly affects the retina and choroid. The disease occurs in women more often than men, typically Caucasian, and most often between... View Details

Cataract Surgery and Uveitis C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S, F.A.C.R. Cataract develops in patients with uveitis because of the uveitis itself and also because of the steroids which is the cornerstone of treating uveitis. Cataract developing in an eye with a history of chronic or recurrent uveitis has historically... View Details

Cataract Surgery in Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S, F.A.C.R. We reported the results of our experience with cataract surgery in 20 patients (26 eyes) with biopsy-proven cicatricial pemphigoid. All patients were on systemic immunosuppression at the time of surgery (dapsone, azathioprine, cyclophsophamide, or combinations) and were... View Details

Connection Between Arthritis and Ocular Disease C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S, F.A.C.R. The eye is made up primarily of collagen, as are ligaments, tendons, and tissue within joint spaces. It is, perhaps, primarily because of this similarity in composition that the eye is often affected by many of the... View Details

Connection Between Skin Disorders and Ocular Disease C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S, F.A.C.R. Most individuals do not realize the extraordinary connection between skin and eye, much less the fact that many skin diseases have concomitant ocular manifestations. These may range from the relatively trivial, nuisance consequences of acne rosacea,... View Details

Corneal Transplantation and Immunologic Tolerance C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.R. Corneal transplants, more often than not, are “tolerated (i.e., not rejected), unlike solid organ transplants such as heart, lung, kidney and skin. For 40 years it was imagined that this phenomenon occurred because of the lack of blood... View Details

Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.R. Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, and, indeed, in all developed countries. Sixteen million Americans have diabetes; only about half are aware that they have it. One type, Type 1, has its onset... View Details

Dry Eye C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.R. Dry Eye or Keratoconjunctivitis sicca syndrome (KCS or dry eye) is a problem of major epidemiologic importance. It affects literally millions of people around the globe, with women dramatically over represented, particularly those women who have entered menopause. The problem may... View Details

Episcleritis C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.R. What is episcleritis? Episcleritis is inflammation of the episclera, which is the thin vascular outer coating of the eye wall, the sclera. Episclera lies underneath the more superficial layers of conjunctiva and other connective tissues. Unlike the more severe disease scleritis, episcleritis... View Details

Herpes and the Eye C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.R. Herpes! The first thought in most people’s mind is venereal disease, sexual transmitted disease (STD). But, in fact most instances of herpes, at least those affecting the eye, are not sexually transmitted, and are not even the type of... View Details

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Uveitis C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.R. Uveitis is a serious complication of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Approximately 6% of all cases of uveitis occur in children, and up to 80% of all cases of anterior uveitis in childhood are associated with JIA. Although remarkable... View Details

Systemic Treatment of Ocular Inflammatory Disease (OID) C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.R Most eye diseases which are treatable are treated with eye drops. In fact, the number of instances in which patients attending a general ophthalmologist’s office might be prescribed a systemic medication (i.e., one which is taken,... View Details

Chemotherapy: Risks and Outcomes C. Stephen Foster, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.R. Inflammatory eye disease has blinded countless numbers of individuals during both ancient and modern times. And while most of such instances have occurred on the basis of infectious inflammation, not a trivial number of instances has occurred on the... View Details

C. Stephen Foster MD Increasingly restrictive “gate keeping” policies of health maintenance organizations, insurance companies, and other medical insurance plans have created increasing pressure on ophthalmologists to be parsimonious in their use of medical services in both the diagnostic and therapeutic care of patients with a variety of medical... View Details

Connection Between Arthritis and Ocular Disease C. Stephen Foster, M.D. The eye is made up primarily of collagen, as are ligaments, tendons, and tissue within joint spaces. It is, perhaps, primarily because of this similarity in composition that the eye is often affected by many of the same diseases... View Details

Uveitis is the third leading cause of blindness in America, and 5% to 10% of the cases occur in children under the age of 16. But Uveitis in children blinds a larger percentage of those affected than in adults, since 40% of the cases occurring in children are posterior... View Details