April is Sjögren's Awareness Month - Bella Eye Care Optometry

Sjögren’s (“SHOW-grins”) is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects the entire body. Along with symptoms of extensive dryness, other serious complications include profound fatigue, chronic pain, major organ involvement, neuropathies and lymphomas.

Although many patients experience dry eyes, dry mouth, fatigue and joint pain, Sjögren’s also cause dysfunction of organs such as the kidneys, gastrointestinal system, blood vessels, lungs, liver, pancreas, and the central nervous system. Patients also have a higher risk of developing lymphoma. Today, as many as four million Americans are living with this disease.

With upwards of 4,000,000 Americans suffering from Sjögren’s, it is one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases. Nine out of 10 patients are women. Eye symptoms that can occur with Sjogren’s syndrome include blurred vision, a gritty or burning sensation, and light sensitivity. Might you be suffering from Sjögren’s?  Schedule an eye exam with us and let us check for you.

For more information on Sjögren’s, go to www.sjogrens.org.