The typical presentation of anterior uveitis involves pain, photophobia and excessive tearing.
Patients report a deep, dull aching of the involved eye and surrounding orbit.
The excessive tearing occurs secondary to increased neural stimulation of the lacrimal gland, and is not associated with a foreign body sensation. Accommodative tasks, however, may prove more difficult and uncomfortable. Inspection may reveal mild to moderate congestion of the lids, resulting in pseudoptosis. You'll typically see a deep perilimbal injection of the conjunctiva and episclera, although the palpebral conjunctiva is characteristically normal. The cornea may display mild edema upon biomicroscopy.