- 7 Rheumatological diseases that can affect the eyes
- 1 - Rheumatoid, psoriatic and juvenile arthritis
- 2 - Lupus erythematosus
- 3 - Sjogren's syndrome
- 4 - Ankylosing spondylitis
- 5 - Behçet's syndrome
- 6 - Polymyalgia rheumatica
- 7 - Reiter's syndrome
- How to treat eye complications caused by rheumatism
Dry, red, swollen eyes and a feeling of sand in the eyes are common symptoms of diseases such as conjunctivitis or uveitis. However, these signs and symptoms can also indicate another type of disease that affects the joints and blood vessels, rheumatic diseases, such as lupus, Sjogren's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, at any stage of life.
Generally rheumatic diseases are discovered through specific tests, but the ophthalmologist may suspect that the person has this type of disease through an eye exam, an examination that shows exactly the state of the optic nerve, the veins and arteries that irrigate the eyes. eyes, indicating the health of these structures. And if these small blood vessels are compromised, it is possible that others are also affected and that is why the ophthalmologist may indicate that the person should seek a rheumatologist.
7 Rheumatological diseases that can affect the eyes
Some rheumatological diseases that can have ocular manifestations are:
1 - Rheumatoid, psoriatic and juvenile arthritis
Arthritis, which is inflammation of the joints that can have several causes that are not always fully known, can also affect the eyes causing changes such as conjunctivitis, scleritis and uveitis. In addition to the disease itself can have ocular implications, drugs such as hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine can have side effects that are manifested in the eyes and that is why it is necessary for the person who has arthritis to have an eye exam every six months. Learn to identify and treat rheumatoid arthritis.
2 - Lupus erythematosus
People with lupus are at increased risk of having dry eye syndrome, which manifests itself through symptoms such as burning and pain in the eyes, chorea, a feeling of sand in the eyes and dry eyes. In addition to the disease itself affecting the eyes, corticosteroid medications used to treat lupus can also have side effects on the eyes and can cause dry eye syndrome, cataracts and glaucoma.
3 - Sjogren's syndrome
It is a disease where the body attacks the cells that produce saliva and tears, leaving the mouth and eyes very dry, and dry eye syndrome is common, which increases the risk of chronic conjunctivitis . The person has always dry, reddish eyes, is sensitive to light and the sensation of sand in the eyes can be frequent.
4 - Ankylosing spondylitis
This is a disease where there is inflammation in the tissues, including the eyes, causing uveitis usually in just 1 eye. The eye can be red and swollen and if the disease lasts for months the other eye can also be affected, with a greater risk of complications in the cornea and cataract.
5 - Behçet's syndrome
It is a very rare disease in Brazil, characterized by inflammation in the blood vessels, which is usually diagnosed in adolescence, but which can seriously affect the eyes causing uveitis with pus in both eyes and inflammation in the optic nerve. Treatment can be done with immunosuppressants such as azathioprine, cyclosporine A and cyclophosphamide to control symptoms.
6 - Polymyalgia rheumatica
It is a disease characterized by pain in the shoulders, back and difficulty in moving due to stiffness in the hip and shoulder joint, with complaints of pain throughout the body being common. When ocular arteries are involved, blurred vision, double vision and even blindness can occur, which can affect only one or both eyes.
7 - Reiter's syndrome
It is a type of arthritis that causes pain and inflammation in the joints but it can also cause inflammation in the white part of the eyes and the eyelids leading to the appearance of conjunctivitis or uveitis, for example.
Although it is more common for people to discover rheumatic disease first, it is possible that eye damage may indicate the presence of rheumatic diseases. But to reach this diagnosis it is necessary to perform a series of tests such as x-rays of the joints, magnetic resonance and a genetic test to identify the rheumatoid factor, for example.
How to treat eye complications caused by rheumatism
The treatment for eye diseases that are directly related to rheumatological diseases should be guided by the ophthalmologist and rheumatologist and may include the use of medicines, eye drops and ointments to apply to the eyes.
When these diseases occur due to the side effect of medications, the doctor may indicate that this is replaced by another one to improve the quality of the person's vision, but sometimes, it is enough to treat the rheumatological disease for there to be improvement in eye symptoms.
