Can Sjogren S Syndrome Cause Blindness

This autoimmune disorder is one of the leading causes of blindness in the united states because chronic poor blood sugar control can cause damage to the small blood vessels in the back of the eyes.

Can sjogren s syndrome cause blindness.

Dry eyes can lead to light sensitivity blurred vision and corneal damage. Although sjogren s syndrome can produce these types of symptoms many other ailments can also cause them. It may occur either alone or in the context of another autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus. One such severe demyelinating disease is termed the neuromyelitis optica spectrum of disorders nmosd and may rapidly cause blindness and paralysis.

People with sjogren s syndrome are much more likely to develop oral thrush a yeast infection in the mouth. A sialography is an x ray of the salivary glands and ducts. Sjogren s syndrome is a condition in which the body s immune system attacks its own moisture producing glands. Ultrasound scans can sometimes help with a diagnosis with high frequency sound waves used to build up pictures of your salivary glands.

Sjogren s syndrome also can cause dryness of the mouth that can lead to tooth decay or even loss of teeth. Sjogren s syndrome is known to dry out the mouth creating a cotton mouth feeling which can make it difficult to swallow or speak. The glands usually appear grey on ultrasound images but in people with sjögren s syndrome round black areas can be seen in the scans. Sjogren s can cause problems for our vision so you ll want to use eye drops regularly and see your eye doctor once or twice a year.

If you do that you shouldn t have to worry about blindness. Sjogren s syndrome destroys glands responsible for lubricating eyes and other parts of the body. It causes the eyes and mouth to dry out and can also lead to tooth decay. Sjögren s syndrome is a systemic disease in which the defining clinical features dryness of the eyes and mouth arise from an autoimmune process affecting the lacrimal and salivary glands.

For most sufferers it attacks the salivary gland and the lacrimal glands which produce tears it can also affect the bowels and other moisture glands in the body. Sjogren s syndrome was named after henrik sjögren a swedish eye doctor. Use of mouth lubricants artificial saliva may be needed to keep the mouth adequately moist and to assist in swallowing.