Can Arthritis Affect Your Eyes?
NOV 11, 2013
Question:
Can the eyes be negatively affected by arthritis?
Answer:
Certain types of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis can affect the eyes. They can cause mild dry eye or severe dry eye in a condition called Sjogren’s syndrome. These types of arthritis are systemic inflammatory conditions that can also cause mild to severe inflammatory conditions of the eye that may have severe adverse consequences for vision. Treatment may involve drops and ointments applied to the eye but also include oral medications to treat the underlying arthritis, and often needs to be coordinated between the ophthalmologist and internist or rheumatologist.