What does choroiditis mean?
Choroiditis is the medical term for inflammation of the choroid, the richly vascular layer of tissue sandwiched between the retina and the white sclera at the back of the eye. Because the choroid nourishes the outer layers of the retina, inflammation here can blur vision, produce floaters, or cause lasting scarring if it involves the macula, the region responsible for sharp central sight. Ophthalmologists classify choroiditis as a form of posterior uveitis, and its causes range widely, including infections such as tuberculosis and toxoplasmosis, autoimmune conditions, and inflammatory syndromes whose origins remain unclear. The word appears almost entirely in clinical writing and specialist conversation; lay readers are more likely to encounter it while researching a diagnosis than in ordinary prose. Its subtypes carry descriptive names, such as focal, multifocal, and serpiginous choroiditis, reflecting the patterns lesions take on examination. Treatment typically targets the underlying cause and suppresses inflammation with corticosteroids or immunosuppressive therapy.
nounInflammation of the choroid, the vascular layer of the eye lying between the retina and the sclera. It is a form of posterior uveitis that can impair vision and may occur alone or together with retinal inflammation.
- Inflammation of the choroid, the vascular layer between the retina and sclera of the eye; classified medically as a form of posterior uveitis.
"The ophthalmologist diagnosed choroiditis after noticing pale inflammatory lesions in the back of her eye."
"Untreated choroiditis can lead to scarring in the macula and permanent loss of central vision."
"The patient's blurred vision and floaters were traced to multifocal choroiditis confirmed by fluorescein angiography."
The classical plural 'choroiditides' appears occasionally in specialist medical literature, but the singular form is overwhelmingly used even when referring to multiple cases, typically phrased as 'cases of choroiditis'.
"The review surveyed published cases of tuberculous choroiditides over two decades."
Choroiditis strikes one of the eye's most blood-rich layers — the choroid supplies oxygen to the outer retina, so when it flares up, your central vision itself can be at risk.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of choroiditis
Choroiditis derives from 'choroid', the anatomical name for the eye's vascular middle layer, which comes from the Greek 'khorion', meaning a membrane or skin-like covering, combined with '-itis', the standard suffix for inflammation borrowed through Latin from Greek. The term took shape in the nineteenth century as systematic medical nomenclature standardized inflammation names across organs using this Greek pattern. It shares its root with 'chorion' and 'chorionic', terms for the fetal membrane, both tracing back to the same Greek source.
Related word forms
How choroiditis is actually used
A technical medical term used almost exclusively in clinical and academic contexts rather than everyday speech. In practice, clinicians often discuss it under the broader heading of 'uveitis', since the choroid is part of the uveal tract.
Easily confused with choroiditis
Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the clear membrane covering the front of the eye, whereas choroiditis is inflammation of the vascular layer deep at the back of the eye.