What are the autoimmune diseases that can affect the eyes? What are the common symptoms and risk factors of these conditions? Find detailed answers to these questions and more in this comprehensive guide.

Autoimmune Diseases Linked to Vision Health

Autoimmune diseases can target nearly every part of the body, including the eyes. Some of the autoimmune conditions that commonly affect vision health include:

Behcet Disease

This rare autoimmune disease is characterized by ocular lesions, skin lesions, and genital ulcers, and is a leading cause of blindness in some regions of the world. It can affect both the anterior and posterior portions of the eye.

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, can cause swelling of the tissues in the digestive tract. The main eye-related problem associated with Crohn’s is episcleritis, a common and benign cause of red eye.

Diabetes

Diabetes can lead to swelling of the eye lens, which can cause blurred vision if blood sugar levels change too quickly from low to normal. High blood sugar can also damage the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive part of the eye.

Lupus

Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many systems of the body, including the eyes. The effects of lupus in and around the eyes include inflammation of the white outer layer of the eyeball, changes in the skin around the eyelids, and damage to nerves controlling eye movement.

Multiple Sclerosis

Optic neuritis, or inflammation of the optic nerve, is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis. It usually occurs in one eye and can cause blurred vision, loss of color vision, and pain with eye movement.

Psoriasis

Some types of psoriasis, a common chronic skin disease, are linked to a heightened risk of developing inflammatory eye conditions, such as conjunctivitis or inflammation of the eyelid.

Reactive Arthritis

Formerly known as Reiter’s syndrome, reactive arthritis can cause redness and swelling in various joints of the body, as well as conjunctivitis.

Understanding the Symptoms of Autoimmune Eye Conditions

The symptoms of autoimmune eye conditions can vary depending on the specific disease, but some common symptoms include:

• Eye redness
• Eye pain
• Blurred vision
• Dry eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• Changes in color vision

It’s important to seek prompt medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms, as many autoimmune eye conditions can lead to vision loss if left untreated.

Risk Factors for Autoimmune Diseases Affecting the Eyes

While the exact cause of autoimmune diseases is unknown, there are several risk factors that can increase a person’s likelihood of developing these conditions, including:

Genetics

Certain autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and multiple sclerosis, tend to run in families, suggesting that certain genes may make some people more susceptible to developing these conditions.

Weight

Obesity has been linked to an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, possibly due to the strain on the joints or the inflammatory substances produced by fat tissues.

Smoking

Research has shown a connection between smoking and the development of several autoimmune diseases, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, hyperthyroidism, and multiple sclerosis.

Addressing Autoimmune Eye Conditions

If you are diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that affects the eyes, it’s important to work closely with your eye care provider to manage your symptoms and prevent vision loss. Treatment may involve a combination of medication, lifestyle changes, and regular eye exams.

Medication

Depending on the specific condition, your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce inflammation, suppress the immune system, or address other underlying issues.

Lifestyle Changes

Making lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing any underlying conditions, can also help to reduce the risk and severity of autoimmune eye conditions.

Regular Eye Exams

Regular eye exams are essential for monitoring the health of your eyes and detecting any changes or complications related to your autoimmune disease. Your eye care provider can work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan to optimize your vision and eye health.

Conclusion

Autoimmune diseases can have a significant impact on vision health, and it’s important to be aware of the various conditions that can affect the eyes. By understanding the common symptoms and risk factors, and working closely with your eye care provider, you can take steps to manage your autoimmune eye condition and preserve your vision.

Autoimmune Diseases That Affect the Eyes

An autoimmune disease occurs when the natural defense system of a body is not able to differentiate its own cells from foreign cells. As a result, the immune system mistakenly attacks normal cells. Nearly every part of the body – including the eyes – can take the brunt of autoimmune diseases.

In this article, a reputable eye clinic takes a closer look at some of the autoimmune diseases that can heavily affect the eyes, the common symptoms of these conditions and their risk factors.

Autoimmune Diseases That Are Linked to Vision Health

There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases that affect a wide range of body parts, from nerves and joints to eyes. Some autoimmune diseases that typically affect the eyes are:

Behcet Disease
This rare autoimmune disease characterized by ocular lesions, skin lesions and genital ulcers is a leading case of blindness in some parts of the world. It can affect the anterior and posterior portions of the eye.

Crohn’s Disease
This type of inflammatory bowel disease causes swelling of the tissues in the digestive tract. The main eye-related problem that can occur with Crohn’s disease is episcleritis, a common and benign cause of red eye.

Diabetes
A potential effect of diabetes is swelling of the eye lens. If blood sugar levels change from low to normal too quickly, the shape of the eye lens can be affected, leading to blurred vision. High blood sugar can also damage the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive part of the eye.

Lupus
Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many systems of the body, including the skin, brain, heart and lungs. The effects of lupus in and around the eyes include inflammation of the white outer layer of the eyeball, changes in the skin around the eyelids and damage to nerves controlling eye movement.

Multiple Sclerosis
This is a lifelong condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord. Optic neuritis or inflammation of the optic nerve is a common symptom of this disease. It usually occurs in one eye and can cause blurred vision, loss of color vision and pain with eye movement.

Psoriasis
A common chronic skin disease, psoriasis causes rashes with itchy, scaly patches all over the body, most typically on the scalp, knees and elbows. Some types of psoriasis are linked to a heightened risk of developing inflammatory eye conditions, such as conjunctivitis or inflammation of the eyelid.

Reactive Arthritis
Formerly known as Reiter’s syndrome, reactive arthritis is a condition that causes redness and swelling in various joints of the body. Many people with this condition also develop conjunctivitis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis
This is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease that causes painful swelling in affected parts of the body. Its most common eye-related symptom is dryness of the sclera, which, if left untreated, can cause damage to the cornea, the clear surface that helps the eye focus.

Sjogren’s Syndrome
A disorder of the immune system, Sjogren’s syndrome is identified by its two most common symptoms: dry eyes and a dry mouth. Because of the decrease in tear production, the eyes may feel extremely dry, itchy or burning.

Thyroid Diseases
This is a group of autoimmune diseases that result in high or low thyroid function. It increases the risk of developing glaucoma, a condition that causes high pressure inside the eye. With Graves’ disease, for instance, tissues build up around the eye and increase pressure. With low-thyroid disorders, on the other hand, pressure builds up because the eye is not able to effectively circulate its fluids.

Uveitis
This is an autoimmune disease that directly affects the middle layer of tissue in the eye wall called uvea. Its common symptoms include eye redness, pain and blurred vision. It can affect one or both eyes and can cause vision loss if left untreated by an eye specialist.

Risk Factors of Autoimmune Diseases

While the exact cause of autoimmune diseases is unknown, some people are more likely to develop an autoimmune disease than others. Risk factors that increase the chances of developing autoimmune diseases include:

Genetics: Certain autoimmune diseases like lupus and multiple sclerosis do tend to run in families, meaning that certain genes make some people more likely to develop them. Viruses, chemicals and other things in the environment can trigger an autoimmune disease if the body already possesses the genes for it.

Weight: Obesity increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis. This could be due to heavier weight putting significant strain on the joints or fat tissues producing substances that encourage inflammation.

Smoking: Research has also linked smoking to the development of several immune and autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, hyperthyroidism and multiple sclerosis. Smoking has wide-reaching effects on the immune system, including increasing inflammation levels and allergic conditions.

Medications: Some blood pressure medications or antibiotics can trigger drug-induced lupus, a generally milder version of the idiopathic disorder. Specific medications used to lower cholesterol can also trigger statin-induced myopathy, a rare autoimmune disease causing muscle weakness.

Medicines That Can Help Treat Eye Symptoms of Autoimmune Diseases

Fortunately, there are over-the-counter medicines that can help alleviate the eye-related symptoms of autoimmune diseases. These include artificial tears, lubricating gels and ointments, all of which can help with dry eyes. These medicines bring moisture back to the surface of the eye. Other inflammatory conditions are sometimes treated with oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that are available over the counter. Patients who do not respond to oral medications should be referred to an ophthalmologist for possible treatment with immunosuppressive medications.

The Importance of Getting Regular Eye Examinations

Aside from eating a balanced diet and leading a healthy lifestyle, one of the most critical steps to preserve eyesight is to regularly attend appointments with an ophthalmologist. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, all adults should undergo eye screening at age 40 to maintain healthy vision, especially if they have not seen an eye specialist previously. Generally, however, adults aged 18 to 60 should get a comprehensive eye exam at least every two years.

If you happen to be affected by an autoimmune disease:

• You should not wait until you are 40 years old to get a vision health screening. If you have not been to an ophthalmologist in the past year, it will be for your own benefit to see one now.

• Make sure you talk to your doctor about how often you need a vision screening. If you are experiencing symptoms related to vision health issues, then you will definitely need to get screened more frequently. Some patients get screened as often as every six months, but this is for severe cases.

• It is also important to get regular eye examinations if you are taking medications for autoimmune disease treatment, such as hydroxychloroquine, which can cause ocular toxicity to various parts of the eye. Other medications for autoimmune diseases that can have negative effects on vision health include corticosteroids, which can increase the risk of cataracts and glaucoma when used long-term.

Most autoimmune diseases can be managed with medication, although serious eye damage and, in some cases, blindness can happen if they are not treated. An eye doctor and an autoimmune specialist should work closely together to effectively treat eye symptoms that occur with autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune Disease and Vision – All About Eyes

Autoimmune diseases affect millions of Americans. You may have heard of some of these: Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome, Graves’ disease, Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, or Lyme disease. According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, there are over 100 known autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune Disease Explained

So, what exactly is an autoimmune disease? Our bodies have a built-in defense-against-disease mechanism called the immune system. It helps us to fight off viruses, bad bacteria, germs, cancer cells, and the like. Sometimes though, this same protective system can get confused and start attacking the body even when it is well. This is what is known as autoimmunity. Various diseases, like the ones mentioned above, can develop. Often times, the eyes are one of the first areas to be noticeably affected – along with joint and muscle pain, fatigue, and other conditions specific to the disease.

How Autoimmune Diseases Affect the Eyes

There are several ways that autoimmune diseases affect the eyes, below are just a few conditions that can develop. It is important that you speak with your eye care provider and follow up with any referrals to other professionals they make to fully determine if an autoimmune disease is an underlying cause.

A common complaint for those with autoimmune diseases is dry eye, also known as Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca. This is a tricky one because nearly half of all American adults experience dry eye syndrome regularly. So, how to know when it’s just “regular” dry eye versus “autoimmune disease” dry eye? That can usually be determined by your eye care provider asking follow-up questions related to other generally known symptoms and referring you to a specialist or to your primary care physician for a more thorough check-up.

Other parts of the eye can be affected too. Anterior Uveitis, for example, is an inflammation of the iris (the colored area of the eye). Along with eye redness and sensitivity to light, anterior uveitis brings blurred vision and dark, floating spots in the vision as well. Autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis often present with anterior uveitis. 

Another condition that affects the surrounding tissue next to the iris is Peripheral Uveitis (also called Pars Planitis). This inflammation impacts the tissue next to the iris that makes the fluid that nourishes the lens and cornea. It affects mostly young men and is sometimes associated with Crohn’s disease; some experts suggest Lyme disease as well.

Scleritis is an inflammation of the deeper tissue of the eye (sclera). It presents with extremely painful redness across the white portion of the eye. Blurred vision, light sensitivity, and watery eyes are also often present with this condition. Rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus are two of the major autoimmune diseases that can affect the sclera. If not addressed, it can lead to vision loss, so it is important to get it checked out.

The cornea is another area of the eye that can become inflamed. This is called Keratitis and may cause a corneal ulcer. Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, and Sjögren’s syndrome are just a few of the autoimmune culprits of this condition.

Optic Neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus are two of the more common autoimmune disorders that can affect the optic nerve.  Patients with this condition typically have pain with eye movement, blurred vision, difficulty seeing at night, and aren’t able to see colors accurately.

Red eyes, caused by inflammation of the superficial sclera (white part of the eye) is usually benign and not painful. This condition is called Episcleritis and can be found in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Lupus, among many others. 

And finally (for the purposes of this blog post), Exophthalmos is a condition where the eyes protrude or bulge outward, as is seen in autoimmune diseases like Graves’ disease. It can cause double vision for some but permanent vision impairment is rare if caught early and treated. 

Again, these are but a few of the conditions that can develop as a result of an autoimmune disease. Be sure to click on the various links to see in-depth research and explanations. Here are some additional resources:

• American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
• American Optometric Association
• American Family Physician
• The Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation
• Sjogren’s Syndrome

anterior uveitis autoimmune diseases Episcleritis exophthalmos Graves’ disease keratitis keratoconjunctivitis sicca optic neuritis peripheral uveitis scleritis

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Vision problems and autoimmune disorders

People with autoimmune disorders should carefully monitor their vision.

An autoimmune disorder affects every system in the body, from the nerves and joints to the eyes. To date, more than 80 types of autoimmune disorders are known, but no one can accurately assess their impact on your vision. Every patient with an autoimmune disorder should be aware of how it affects vision. At the slightest disturbance of vision, such as “fog” before the eyes, blurring, pain in the eyes, dryness or photosensitivity, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Modern drugs are successfully used to treat eye diseases caused by autoimmune disorders.

See an ophthalmologist regularly for autoimmune disorders

The best prevention of eye diseases is regular visits to the ophthalmologist. Ophthalmologists recommend that all people over the age of 40 get an eye exam (screening) if they haven’t done it before. Recommendations for patients with autoimmune diseases:

Get your eyes checked, even if you’re under 40. If you haven’t been to an ophthalmologist this year, make an appointment now.

Ask your doctor how often you need to have your eyes checked.

Get your eyes checked more often (every 6 months) if you have the first signs of eye disease.

See your eye doctor regularly if you are taking medications for autoimmune diseases.

Relationship between vision and autoimmune disorders

Autoimmune disorders causing vision problems:

• Behçet’s disease. A rare autoimmune disorder that is the leading cause of blindness in the population in several developing countries. The disease affects the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth and genitals.
• Lupus. One of the complications of lupus is inflammation of the eyes. Symptoms: “fog” before the eyes, headaches, inflamed eyes, dry eyes and photosensitivity.
• Multiple sclerosis (MS). Multiple sclerosis and visual function are so closely related that it is the ophthalmologist who may be the first to suspect that a patient is developing an autoimmune disorder. In the early stages of MS, patients often present with optic neuritis, which causes gradual or sudden loss of vision due to inflammation of the optic nerve. The optic nerve is a large nerve that leads to the back chamber of the eye.
• Psoriasis. Inflammation of the conjunctiva (the mucous membrane that covers the white of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelids) causes redness and pain in the eyes.
• Reiter’s syndrome. Reactive arthritis affects the joints and front of the eyes.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA causes dry eyes, protein inflammation, thinning of the cornea, and other painful visual disturbances.
• Sjögren’s syndrome is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the lacrimal glands and causes dry eyes.
• Diseases of the thyroid gland. Autoimmune disorders characterized by hyperfunction or dysfunction of the thyroid gland increase the risk of developing glaucoma (increased intraocular pressure). Although there is currently no evidence to support a link between glaucoma and thyroid disease, it is believed that such diseases cause an increase in intraocular pressure, as they are accompanied by an increase in tissue around the eyes (as, for example, in Graves’ disease). With thyroid dysfunction, the circulation of fluid in the eyes is disturbed, which also leads to an increase in intraocular pressure.
• Type 1 diabetes mellitus.
• Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Approximately 5% of patients present with “non-specific ocular inflammation”.
• Uveitis is an autoimmune disease that directly affects the pigment cells of the iris and, in some cases, the middle layers of the eye. Uveitis causes inflammation, which is characterized by redness of the eyes, a feeling of “fog” or “gnats” before the eyes. Uveitis may present on its own or be a symptom of another autoimmune disorder.

Eye health and treatment of autoimmune disorders

Some drugs for autoimmune disorders may have long-term adverse effects on the patient’s body.

Patients with autoimmune disorders tend to monitor their health closely and note any changes in their body.