Jack reached out to me through livingwithuveitis.com; it’s been really great to meet folks who are out there reading! He’s been dealing with uveitis for two years and is a web designer on a mission to inform other developers about uveitis.

About you:

Name and age:

Jack Pritchard, 25

Hobbies:

Cycling, software development

Last book you read:

12 Rules For Life, an Antidote to Chaos

3 things you can’t live without during #stayathome:

My plants, Comfort food, Calls with Family and friends

About your uveitis:

What type of uveitis do you have / what is your diagnosis?

Chronic Panuveitis in both eyes

Is your uveitis associated with another condition or disease?

Sarcoidosis

How did you know something was wrong? When were you diagnosed and how long did it take?

I had several incidents following up to the official diagnosis. At first it was flashes of lights in the corner of my eyes, associated with weight lifting. Next I lost vision in my eyes for a week when on holiday. Then finally I arrived in eye casualty in October 2018 to be given an official diagnosis and multiple treatments.

How are you currently treating your uveitis? What other treatments and/or procedures have you tried?

I’ve been on just about any eye drop you can associate with the condition. Maxidex, Iopidine, Monopost, Azarga, to name a few. I’ve also taken a number of pills, including – Prednisone, Methotrexate, and Acetazolamide. At the moment, I’m currently on Mycophenolate and Prednisone. I’ve had several injections to the eye to help with the ‘sticking’ on my pupil which haven’t been effective.

Most recently, I’ve undergone double eye surgery in my right eye. One surgery for cataracts to replace the lens in the back of my eye, and another at the same time to implant a Xen implant or ‘shunt’ to reduce the pressure. I’m currently in discussions to get my left eye done. The surgery has saved my life, and restored peace in my mind, as prior to surgery I was in the most difficult flare up of my life.

What is the hardest part of having uveitis for you?

Being able to function as a normal human, my day job requires me to be able to read screens. Going out with friends in time of flare-ups creates discomfort when in light environments and I’ve altered my home setup to accommodate for my sensitivity to light.

How has having uveitis changed your life?

I cannot begin to describe the ways in which is has altered my life. In times of a flare up, or issues it can cause my life to fall into pieces. On the other hand it has changed my direction in life, which could be seen as a positive.

Do you research uveitis (causes, treatments, etc) or get all your info from your doctor?

A mixture of both. Doctors are great at answering quick fire questions I have on my mind or written down. However, sometimes doctors can easily end up getting highly technical in their speech and that’s when I turn to online resources where others have put it in simpler terms for me to understand or reference.

Do you think people know about uveitis? What do you wish people knew about uveitis?

Very few people know of Uveitis, I don’t expect everyone to know. I wish people knew how difficult it was for us to read text, and how much pain light can cause. As it’s an internal health problem, it’s an invisible condition to those you see on the street. As someone who is 25 years old, nobody makes the assumption that I am suffering from an autoimmune disease which makes it hard to see. Most people can afford sympathy to older individuals as it’s assumed they may have health problems, but younger individuals are assumed to be in good health.

Anything else to add?

I’m currently on a journey to make the world wide web a little bit more accessible to those with Uveitis. As a website developer, I am responsible for developing accessible web pages, and with the introduction of new technologies I have been thinking of different ways I can help, even if small.

To help get a better understanding on how I can help, or what I should build, I am speaking with others that have Uveitis or visually impairing conditions. If you too suffer with any condition, please do get in touch so I can chat with you about your condition and alterations you’ve made to your lifestyle.

Find Jack!

You can email me anytime at jack@noface.co.uk

Website: https://whatjackhasmade.co.uk