Early Warning Signs That Your Immune System May Be Attacking Your Eyes

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, about 8% of people in the United States have some type of autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease can develop when your immune system overreacts and mistakenly attacks healthy tissues.

Autoimmune diseases can be varied and complex. Researchers estimate there may be between 80 and 150 distinctive types of autoimmune diseases. 
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Autoimmune disorders and the eyes 

Your eyes contain delicate nerve structures, connective tissue, and blood vessels that are vulnerable to immune responses. It's no surprise that some autoimmune diseases can affect the eyes and vision. In fact, eye symptoms are sometimes some of the earliest signs of an underlying autoimmune condition. 

Some autoimmune diseases can affect the eyes, such as:

• Lupus
• Multiple sclerosis 
• Rheumatoid arthritis 
• Sarcoidosis
• Sjögren's syndrome
• Type 1 diabetes 

Autoimmune diseases do not always target one organ system. Some diseases can cause widespread inflammatory changes. 

How autoimmune disorders affect the eyes can vary depending on the specific condition. For instance, Sjögren's syndrome targets the tear glands, which can cause dry eyes. 

Multiple sclerosis (MS) impacts the central nervous system and the nerve pathways. Your vision is an extension of the central nervous system. MS affects the myelin, which surrounds the nerve fibers in the body. If myelin is damaged along the visual pathway, including the optic nerve or the visual processing area in the brain, visual symptoms can occur. 
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Early warning signs 

In some cases, visual symptoms are one of the first signs of an autoimmune disease. Early warning signs that may indicate an autoimmune disorder include: 

• Sudden light sensitivity with no other known cause
• Blurred vision 
• Persistent dry eye, which may include a gritty sensation in the eye 
• Deep eye pain 
• Double vision or vision changes
• Repeated eye inflammation  
• New floaters 

The symptoms above can also occur due to other diseases and eye conditions, so it is important to seek care if you have any of the above symptoms.
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Why early comprehensive eye exams matter 

A comprehensive eye exam can be an early detection tool. Regular eye exams can detect subtle changes, including inflammation, that may prompt additional testing to diagnose an autoimmune disease.
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Additionally, if you have already been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, a comprehensive eye exam allows your doctor to obtain baseline information and assess tissue changes, retinal vessel inflammation, and optic nerve swelling. Identifying early vision changes from an autoimmune disease can help reduce inflammation and may prevent long-term eye damage.

How to protect your vision 

If you have an autoimmune disorder, regular eye exams are essential for managing your condition. It's important to have eye exams even if you do not have any visual symptoms. Early visual changes may not cause symptoms, but they can be identified through subtle changes your eye doctor can detect during an eye exam.

Also, some medications used to treat autoimmune diseases may affect your eyes, requiring increased monitoring. 

It is also vital to practice healthy lifestyle habits, including not smoking, wearing sunglasses to prevent UV exposure, and getting regular exercise.

Remember, everything in the body is interconnected, and your vision is not separate from the rest of your body. An autoimmune disease can impact multiple systems. Managing an underlying medical condition appropriately has a significant impact on other areas of the body, including your vision.

If you have any questions, we are happy to help. Also, if you would like to schedule an eye appointment with one of our eye doctors, please call our office at 508-746-8600.