Newly Diagnosed
Moderators: Mike Bartolatz, kwork
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Shell04963
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 10:32 pm
Newly Diagnosed
Hi my name is Michelle and I was just diagnosed with Uveitis on this past Thursday so I am must trying to understand what this new diagnosis means. I have Sjogrens syndrome which is and Autoimmune disorder and my eye Dr. said they can go hand in hand. I got diagnosis on Thursday and by that afternoon they had me booked to see an Uveitis Dr this month and an appointment with a rheumatologist for this monday. I am looking to find what this diagnosis means. I have it in both eyes but the pressure is only up in my Left eye. Any info anyone can share regarding their experience would be so appreciated.
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Mike Bartolatz
- Posts: 6595
- Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:58 pm
Re: Newly Diagnosed
sometimes uveitis can be linked to autoimmune disease processes. Sjogren's syndrome shares some of the antibodies seen in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and other connective tissue disease processes. use of a corticosteriod sparing approach to treatment is indictated when this happens because it is a systemic disease process impacting many organs of the body. inflammation anywhere in the body can trigger renewed inflammation in the eyes. steroids are used to put out the fire of the inflammation in the eyes and then other drugs are used to keep the fire out throughout the body so that the eye doesn't flare up again. DMARD drugs such as methotrexate, cellcept or Imuran are used to retrain the immune system to stop attacking the eyes and organs of the body. sometimes one of these drugs alone can't acheive this so other classes of drugs are added to get you to 'off all steroids without inflammation'. it can take about 6 months to achieve this as it takes time to figure out the correct dose and combination of medications.
for the dry eyes part of sjogren's syndrome, the topical drug Restasis works well to stop lacrimal gland inflammation and to get it re producing fluid. the opthalmologist will monitor your eyes and tell the rheumatologist to up dose on inflammmation inside the eye, slowly increasing it until the eye is quiet, then he will start reducing the corticosteroids until you are off them completely.
monitoring the eye for other changes is important. if inflammation is allowed to keep returning, it can lead to fluid build up under the macula, the part or the eye from which you see. this is called Cystoid macular edema. new blood vessels can start growing in the back of the eye too called neovascularization of the retina. this can impact the macula as well as the optic disc where the optic nerve enters the eye. this can lead to bleeding or detachment of the retina. sometimes the optic nerve can become inflammed causing optic neuritis. a specific test can be done should you develop neuropathy called the neruomyelitis optica IgG antibody test. watch for double vision as this is sometimes related to either optic neuritis or swelling of the tissues surrounding the eye from inflammation.
do you have punctal plugs implanted to help keep fluid from going down the drains of the eyes?
are you using preservative free lubricating eyedrops to rehydrate the cornea and the conjunctiva?
I have these implanted and they help a lot.
Please join us in our various forums for continued discussion. click on BOARD index at the top left side of the page to be re directed. then start a topic and I'll do my best to help you. I have put together a lot of information at http://www.parsplanitis.org that you can read through as well as in forums here.
Wish you the very best,
Mike
for the dry eyes part of sjogren's syndrome, the topical drug Restasis works well to stop lacrimal gland inflammation and to get it re producing fluid. the opthalmologist will monitor your eyes and tell the rheumatologist to up dose on inflammmation inside the eye, slowly increasing it until the eye is quiet, then he will start reducing the corticosteroids until you are off them completely.
monitoring the eye for other changes is important. if inflammation is allowed to keep returning, it can lead to fluid build up under the macula, the part or the eye from which you see. this is called Cystoid macular edema. new blood vessels can start growing in the back of the eye too called neovascularization of the retina. this can impact the macula as well as the optic disc where the optic nerve enters the eye. this can lead to bleeding or detachment of the retina. sometimes the optic nerve can become inflammed causing optic neuritis. a specific test can be done should you develop neuropathy called the neruomyelitis optica IgG antibody test. watch for double vision as this is sometimes related to either optic neuritis or swelling of the tissues surrounding the eye from inflammation.
do you have punctal plugs implanted to help keep fluid from going down the drains of the eyes?
are you using preservative free lubricating eyedrops to rehydrate the cornea and the conjunctiva?
I have these implanted and they help a lot.
Please join us in our various forums for continued discussion. click on BOARD index at the top left side of the page to be re directed. then start a topic and I'll do my best to help you. I have put together a lot of information at http://www.parsplanitis.org that you can read through as well as in forums here.
Wish you the very best,
Mike
Mike Bartolatz
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