What is Sjögren’s Syndrome? Do you have dry eye symptoms and a dry mouth? In this blog post, you’ll get a brief overview of Sjögren’s Syndrome and how this autoimmune disease causes some of the worst dry eyes and dry mouth symptoms.
What is Sjögren’s syndrome?
Sjogrens syndrome is an autoimmune disease typically occurring in women in their middle age (however it can occur at younger ages too). In Sjogren’s syndrome, the body’s immune cells begin to attack various exocrine glands, such as the salivary glands and the lacrimal, or tear glands. This can result in various symptoms, as shown below.
Sjögren’s Syndrome Symptoms
– Severe Dry Eyes
– Dry Mouth
– Dry Mucous secretions
Sjögren’s Syndrome Diagnosis
A Diagnosis of Sjogrens syndrome is based on
– Ocular signs and symptoms
– Oral signs and symptoms
– Histopathology
– Autoantibodies
– anti-Ro(SSA)
– anti-La(SSB)
People with a Sjögren’s Syndrome diagnosis are best followed by rheumatology and optometry or ophthalmology since other diseases can be associated with this syndrome.
If you are looking for dry eye treatments, then the video may be helpful to you. But if you are struggling with severe dry eye syndrome symptoms, it is important to follow up with a specialist in either optometry or ophthalmology that is trained in dry eye disease management.
Note: Dry eye syndrome can be complicated by other forms of ocular surface disease and it is always best to consult with your local eye care professional if you are experiencing any eye pain or vision changes.
To learn more about Sjögren’s Syndrome, and hear from Dr. Allen himself, check out the video below.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant for medical diagnosis or treatment. You should follow up with your local healthcare provider regarding all matters related to your health.