Realitarakyat.com – Consultant Ophthalmologist, Infection Immunology Specialist Dr. Rina La Distia Nora explained that there are a number of symptoms of eye inflammation that indicate the presence of an autoimmune disease in the patient and must immediately receive treatment from a doctor.
“The eyes can be a reflection of what is happening in our body, including diseases where autoimmunity is systemic or whole body, for example lupus,” said Rina, who practices at the Dr. National Central General Hospital. Cipto Mangunkusumo, in an online talk show attended in Jakarta, Friday (26/1).
Autoimmunity or autoimmunity is a disease in which immune cells attack the body itself and can affect various body organs, including the eyes.
Rina said there are two inflammatory eye conditions that are most often experienced by patients and are related to autoimmune diseases, such as Sjorgen’s syndrome and uveitis (inflammation of the uvea or middle layer of the eye). Sjorgen’s syndrome, Rina explained, is more about the tear glands, the symptoms include dry eyes, feeling lumpy, often itchy, easily sleepy due to tired eyes, and red eyes.
Meanwhile, uveitis is characterized by, among other things, red eyes, seeing black spots floating around, or when exposed to light, the eyes become dazzled and painful.
Rina explained that not all eye inflammation is caused by autoimmune disease, it could just be a mild eye health problem.
“For example, conjunctivitis or inflammation of the lining of the eye. The symptoms are indeed red eyes, however, they are usually accompanied by discharge (eye discharge), are infected from people around them, and are not blurry. “If that happens, it’s best to just treat it at home, cold compress or eye drops,” said Rina.
If red eyes are not accompanied by blurred vision and improve within two or three days after receiving treatment at home, it could be that the condition is not related to an autoimmune disease.
Inflammatory eye conditions due to autoimmune disease will occur in both eyes with different time intervals and degrees of severity. For example, the right eye experiences inflammation first, followed by the left eye which experiences inflammation.
Therefore, Rina recommends immediately seeing a doctor if you experience inflammation in one part of the eye before it affects both. Examination is needed to prevent worsening inflammation and the risk of other health problems.
“Fast and appropriate treatment can prevent further (severity of inflammation). “Especially if it only affects one eye, treatment must be given quickly so that the other eye doesn’t get affected (inflamed),” said Rina.
There are a number of treatments that can be given to patients with eye inflammation indicated by autoimmune disease, for example patients with Sjorgen’s syndrome will be given special medication from a specialist in internal medicine.
Although most autoimmune diseases cannot be cured, doctors will try to suppress inflammation so as not to worsen the patient’s condition and administer medication as needed.
2024-01-26 23:00:58
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