Eye and Rheumatology

Excerpt

The ocular involvement in rheumatology can be in a wide variety; it ranges from simple episcleritis to significant visual loss. Early detection followed by appropriate management can reserve vision. Ophthalmic involvement may occur in all of the rheumatic disorders. Ocular manifestation may be a presenting sign in some disorders, as in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and Sjogren’s syndrome (SjS), or can be a presenting sign with the systemic involvement as in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), polyarteritis nodosa (PAN), granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), and systemic sclerosis. Thus ocular manifestations in rheumatologic diseases (Table 19.1) can be the link in approaching the diagnosis.