The eyes often feel dry? Beware of Sjogren's syndrome
Dry eyes are a symptom of an autoimmune condition, Sjogren's syndrome. What are the symptoms of Sjogren syndrome? Then, what are the treatments?
Dry eyes are one of the symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome which is often found when a person is conducting routine control to the doctor or undergoing medical check-up.
Symptoms of this dry eye are usually often felt in the last few months or years. Also, many people are unaware that eye conditions are dry.
The reason is that one will only check the condition of the eye when there are symptoms of blurred eyes, red, and eye area pain. While the condition of the eye is dry, sometimes not too ignored, when it is quite dangerous.
Then, what should be known about Sjogren's syndrome that causes dry eyes?
A little bit about dry eye conditions
Symptoms of dry eyes that you feel are generally caused by the lack of tears. The number of tears less can occur due to an environment that is too dry or windy. This condition can cause tears to evaporate, thus causing dry eyes.
Tears have a very important role to maintain the health of eye surface tissues. Tears also function so that the vision can still see clearly. With tears as a protection, the eyes can be avoided from infections and foreign bodies that can damage the surface of the cornea (the outer part of the eyeball).
On the other hand, dry eyes can also be caused by tears that do not sufficiently moisturize the entire surface of the eyeball. As additional information, that in tears consists of three layers that have each role in the senses of vision, namely:
- Oil, which is responsible for preventing evaporation of tears occurs too rapidly.
- Water, the function is useful to moisturize the outer surface of the eyeball.
- Mucin, this layer of function helps the tears spread evenly across the surface of the eyeball.
If there are 1 of 3 layers of tears that are not balanced, this can make the condition of dry eye prone to occur.
People who are experiencing dry eyes often feel the symptoms of feeling on the eye, such as foreign bodies, feeling hot, watery. In severe conditions, it can cause blurred vision.
Then, what is Sjogren's syndrome?
Lately, we often find autoimmune diseases, especially in women in young adults. Well, the symptoms of dry eyes that you experience can be caused by the condition of Sjogren syndrome, which is included in autoimmune diseases.
An autoimmune condition occurs when the body's immune system attacks normal cells in the body. , In the condition of Sjogren's syndrome, the part of the body being attacked is a gland that produces tears, saliva, or drooling. In addition to making the eye uncomfortable because it is dry, Sjogren syndrome can also make the mouth feel dry.
Not only does it attack the eyes and the salivary gland, but Sjogren's syndrome can also cause dry in other parts of the body such as the nose, throat, and skin. Sjogren's syndrome may also cause disturbances in other organs such as the lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, nerve, blood vessels, and joints.
How to overcome Sjogren's syndrome?
To date, there have been no medications to cope with autoimmune diseases. However, the doctor may conduct Sjogren syndrome therapy or treatment to address a variety of perceived symptoms, including dry eyes.
Later, you can be given eye drops in the form of artificial tears. However, in heavier conditions, the doctor may prescribe special prescription medications to control this autoimmune condition.
In the period of treatment, an ophthalmologist is required to cope with dry eyes in patients with Sjogren's syndrome. Not to forget also, that the Sjogren syndrome case will require the cooperation of the specialist physician in the immune system of the disease specialists.
So, feel free to check with your doctor about the dry eye problems you are experiencing to avoid any more severe complications.