Re: Article - EHLERS-DANLOS SYNDROME; The Role of Collagen in the Eye

[Guest guest]

is having trouble with her eyes being really dry. I suppose I should

take her to the eye doctor, just to be on the safe side?

Does anyone else have trouble with dry eyes?

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

There is something called Sicca Syndrome (when it affects only the

eyes) or Secondary Sjogren's Syndrome (affecting all mucous

membranes)...

This is very common secondary to rheumatic diseases, but Sicca

Syndrome is also very common in many other disorders affecting

connective tissue, muscles etc. If you do a Medline search, you will

be able to see that it is common with a lot of disorders. It is also

common in EDS.

I have a lot of discomfort in my eyes. Because they get dry and the

tears I have seem to be of poor quality, I get a lot of mucous in my

eyes all the time. I am constantly picking this out of my eyes, it

drives me nuts. And my eyes get so irritated... I have been diagnosed

with it as secondary to my Psoriatic Arthritis, but who knows...

Many find it helpful to use artificial tear drops, you can get these

at the pharmacy. My favorite is something called Visco Tears or

Viscotears, it is not liquid but a gel. Since it is a gel, it lasts

longer. I really don't like the ordinary artificial tear drops that

much, because if I should really have help from them, I would have to

use them all the time. It just doesn't last long enough. When I am

travelling by air plane, I always have Viscotears with me, because my

skin and eyes get terribly dry there, so having these and a good

fatty moisturizer, is essential...

An eye doctor (Ophtalmologist) is the right one to diagnose what is

going on. Many can e.g. have a combination of this and eye allergies.

I have that too, but I find it really difficult to use eye allergy

drops, because they make the eyes even drier. What I do use when they

are too irritated though, is eye drops which contain the same stuff

as Clear Eyes. You should not use this stuff too often though,

because it is not good for the eye to use things which contract the

blood vessels too often (that is how Clear Eyes work for red eyes, it

contracts the blood vessels so the red disappears).

Aase Marit

> is having trouble with her eyes being really dry. I suppose

>I should take her to the eye doctor, just to be on the safe side?

>Does anyone else have trouble with dry eyes?