Can iritis cause painless clouding of the cornea?

Yes, chronic (ongoing) iritis can cause painless damage to the cornea (the clear, dome-shaped front window of the eye) leading to a clouding-over of vision. Low-grade iritis can be painless, but patients typically experience redness, light sensitivity, and/or blurred vision. Iritis can damage endothelial cells resulting in corneal edema, or swelling, and usually causes haziness of the vision. Chronic iritis can also cause calcium deposits on the surface of the eye called band keratopathy, which can also cloud the vision. Your ophthalmologist can diagnose this with a slit lamp exam.