Although rheumatic diseases often affect the joints, they can affect vital organs such as eyes, heart, kidneys, lungs and liver. In many rheumatic diseases, we may encounter eye complaints either at the beginning or in the later stages.
The most common findings among eye complaints are dry eye and inflammatory condition of the eye, which we call uveitis. Dry eye is usually manifested by a foreign body sensation in the eye, a feeling of escaping sand, and burning and stinging. Uveitis, on the other hand, is a slightly more severe condition. It can manifest itself with serious conditions such as eye pain, blurred vision, loss of vision.
Apart from dry eye and uveitis, there are rarer conditions affecting the eye. Sudden vision loss, droopy eyelid or severe eye pain and partial vision loss can be counted among other findings.
It is of great importance for our patients with known rheumatic disease to inform their doctors in case of eye complaints in terms of early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
