Inflammation of the eye.
Ophthalmitis refers to any inflammatory condition of the eye. Varieties of this condition include ophthalmia neonatorum and sympathetic ophthalmitis. The latter is an uncommon condition where a penetrating injury to one eye results in severe uveitis (inflammation of the iris and choroid) in the other eye, potentially leading to blindness. Treatment for sympathetic ophthalmitis often involves corticosteroid medications, but in some cases, removing the injured eye might be essential to protect the vision of the unaffected one.