Immunological privilege in the eye: A review

Abstract

The eye enjoys a privileged immunological status, in contrast to most sites in the body. Historically, it was thought that the eye, due to its lack of lymphatics, was not subject to the same immune surveillance as other tissues. In opposition to this, recent study has revealed that presenting foreign material via the eye produces marked effects on systemic immunity, leading to a state of tolerance when the same foreign antigen is presented systemically. The immunology of the eye is now known to consist of a myriad of local and systemic effects.