How Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Affect My Eyes?

When you think about arthritis, you may not immediately connect it to your eye health. Of course, when you have Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), your response to any exterior threat can manifest in any number of ways. If you’re wondering what this autoimmune disease can do to your vision, we’ll look at the common side effects of the disorder.

Common Eye Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

RA can cause any of the following:

• Dry eyes
• Redness
• Pain
• Light sensitivity
• Blurred vision

In some cases, RA is pure inflammation. An optometrist in Greensburg, PA can pin the symptoms on a weakened immune system. If you’re having a harder time defending against common irritants, this can lead to a wide range of symptoms.

If you have a more severe type of RA, though, then you can end up contracting more serious vision disorders. For example, peripheral ulcerative keratitis, which can affect the cornea enough to cause vision loss. Or scleritis, an inflammation of the white part of the eye, which can lead to intense pain and sensitivity to light.

Visit an Optometrist in Greensburg, PA

If you have RA, it’s worth understanding more about how this disease can affect every part of your body. While most people associate it with joint pain and stiffness, it can stretch to nearly every corner of the body.

If you have questions about how your eyes are changing, medical eye care in Greensburg, PA can help you sort fact from fiction. For example, dry eye could be due to RA or it could be a sign that you’re watching too many screens. At Lappen Eye Care, our staff can evaluate your eyes year after year, so you can get a handle on your visual health!