How does sjogrens affect the eyes

While blinking normally occurs involuntarily, you may have to voluntarily blink often when you have dry eyes. Your eyes need rest, especially when they run the risk of becoming dry. Take a break at regular intervals when reading or working on a computer and close your eyes for some time. Harsh light or particulate matter in the air can compound eye irritation. Wear sunglasses to minimize light intensity falling on the eye and also to reduce tear evaporation due to airflow. You may also consider wearing moisture chamber glasses to add moisture to your eyes.

If you are taking a rest, or in a dry environment for extended periods of time, place a wet cloth over your eyes to protect them. Artificial tears mimic the composition of natural tears and are available over the counter. Artificial tears can be used to treat mild eye dryness. It is recommended to use artificial tears before bedtime and in the morning before heading outside.

As many as 3 million may be unaware they have the condition. Because dry eyes are such a distinctive feature of Sjogren's syndrome, many cases of the disease go unreported. It's estimated that 1 in 10 dry eye patients also have Sjogren's syndrome; and it can take up to four years or longer from onset of the disease to get an accurate diagnosis, according to researchers.

Sjogren's syndrome is one of the more common autoimmune disorders. In these diseases, a person's white blood cells attack his or her own tissues and organs, damaging them. Why abnormal immune responses develop and destroy a body's own tissues is not clearly understood. Ordinarily, our immune system recognizes our own body parts as "friendly," and becomes activated only to fight and destroy "foreign" substances or harmful organisms, such as viruses.

Abnormal immune responses may be inherited, or they may be related to prior viral or bacterial infections. Sjogren's syndrome can occur alone primary Sjogren's syndrome or it can occur along with other autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus , celiac disease or scleroderma secondary Sjogren's syndrome.

Sjogren's syndrome symptoms. Image: Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation. The classic symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome are: dry eyes, dry mouth, fatigue and joint pain. Other symptoms may include:. Contact lens discomfort.

Other eye symptoms that can occur with Sjogren's syndrome include blurred vision, a gritty or burning sensation and light sensitivity. Your eye doctor may perform a number of tests to confirm a diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome. These drops stain on the surface of the eye, highlighting any areas of injury. Slit lamp examination—This test shows how severe the dryness is and whether the outside of the eye is inflamed.

An ophthalmologist eye specialist uses equipment that magnifies to carefully examine the eye. Mouth exam—The doctor will look in the mouth for signs of dryness and to see whether any of the major salivary glands are swollen. Signs of dryness include a dry, sticky mouth; cavities; thick saliva, or none at all; a smooth look to the tongue; redness in the mouth; dry, cracked lips; and sores at the corners of the mouth.

The doctor might also try to get a sample of saliva to see how much the glands are producing and to check its quality. The doctor removes tiny minor salivary glands from the inside of the lower lip and examines them under the microscope. Because there are many causes of dry eyes and dry mouth, the doctor will take other possible causes into account.

But the doctor may decide to do additional tests to see whether other parts of the body are affected. These tests may include.

Routine blood tests—The doctor will take blood samples to check blood count and blood sugar level, and to see how the liver and kidneys are working. For example:. Antithyroid antibodies are created when antibodies migrate out of the salivary glands into the thyroid gland.

Substances known as cryoglobulins may be detected; these indicate risk of lymphoma. Urinalysis—The doctor will probably test a sample of your urine to see how well the kidneys are working. During those years, depending on the symptoms, a person might see a number of doctors, any of whom may diagnose the disease and be involved in treatment.

Usually, a rheumatologist a doctor who specializes in diseases of the joints, muscles, and bones will coordinate treatment among a number of specialists.

Other doctors who may be involved include:. Treatment is different for each person, depending on what parts of the body are affected. But in all cases, the doctor will help relieve your symptoms, especially dryness. For example, you can use artificial tears to help with dry eyes and saliva stimulants and mouth lubricants for dry mouth.

Treatment for dryness is described in more detail below. If you have extraglandular involvement, your doctor—or the appropriate specialist—will also treat those problems. Treatment may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for joint or muscle pain, saliva- and mucus-stimulating drugs for nose and throat dryness, and corticosteroids or drugs that suppress the immune system for lung, kidney, blood vessel, or nervous system problems.

Hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, and cyclophosphamide are examples of such immunosuppressants drugs that suppress the immune system. Artificial tears can help. They come in different thicknesses, so you may have to experiment to find the right one. Some drops contain preservatives that might irritate your eyes. Nonpreserved tears typically come in single-dose packages to prevent contamination with bacteria.

At night, an eye ointment might provide more relief. Ointments are thicker than artificial tears and moisturize and protect the eye for several hours. They may blur your vision, which is why some people prefer to use them while they sleep. It comes in a small pellet that you put in your lower eyelid. When you add artificial tears, the pellet dissolves and forms a film over your own tears that traps the moisture.

Another alternative is surgery to close the tear ducts that drain tears from the eye. The surgery is called punctal occlusion. For a temporary closure, the doctor inserts collagen or silicone plugs into the ducts.

For a longer lasting effect, the doctor can use a laser or cautery to seal the ducts. Also, if a particular brand name is not mentioned, this does not mean or imply that the product is unsatisfactory.

If your salivary glands still produce some saliva, you can stimulate them to make more by chewing gum or sucking on hard candy. However, gum and candy must be sugar free because dry mouth makes you extremely prone to cavities.

Take sips of water or another sugar free drink often throughout the day to wet your mouth, especially when you are eating or talking. Note that you should take sips of water—drinking large amounts of liquid throughout the day will not make your mouth any less dry. It will only make you urinate more often and may strip your mouth of mucus, causing even more dryness. You can soothe dry, cracked lips by using oil- or petroleum-based lip balm or lipstick.

If your mouth hurts, the doctor may give you medicine in a mouth rinse, ointment, or gel to apply to the sore areas to control pain and inflammation. If you produce very little saliva or none at all, your doctor might recommend a saliva substitute. These products mimic some of the properties of saliva, which means they make the mouth feel wet, and if they contain fluoride, they can help prevent cavities.

Gel-based saliva substitutes tend to give the longest relief, but all saliva products are limited since you eventually swallow them. At least two drugs that stimulate the salivary glands to produce saliva are available.

These are pilocarpine and cevimeline. The effects last for a few hours, and you can take them three or four times a day. However, they are not suitable for everyone, so talk to your doctor about whether they might help you. People with dry mouth can easily get mouth infections. It most often shows up as white patches inside the mouth that you can scrape off, or as red, burning areas in the mouth.

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