The Hidden Autoimmune Cause Behind Your Chronic Dry Eyes
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🟠 STORY AT A GLANCE
If you're battling dry, gritty, burning eyes that don’t improve with drops, the real cause may be autoimmune.
Sjögren’s Syndrome is a common but often underdiagnosed autoimmune disorder that targets your body’s moisture-producing glands—including those that make tears.
Unlike typical dry eye, Sjögren’s-induced dry eye involves inflammation and destruction of the glands, making conventional treatments like artificial tears largely ineffective.
Early detection and a whole-body approach—including nutrition, hydration, and immune support—can dramatically improve comfort and protect your long-term vision.
A holistic ophthalmologist works not only to relieve symptoms but also to address the root cause of the inflammation.
👁️ Your Dry Eyes Might Be a Warning Sign
Millions of people use eye drops every day hoping to soothe dry, irritated eyes. For some, it’s due to age, screen time, or contact lenses. But for others, dry eyes are just one piece of a much larger puzzle—a clue pointing toward an underlying autoimmune condition called Sjögren’s Syndrome.
Sjögren’s affects approximately 3 to 4 million Americans—mostly women over 40—and yet it often takes years to be diagnosed. Why? Because dry eye is a common complaint, and few patients (or even doctors) initially think to look deeper.
If you're treating dry eyes and nothing is working, it's time to ask a bigger question:
Is your immune system attacking your tear glands?
🔬 What Is Sjögren’s Syndrome?
Sjögren’s Syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own exocrine glands, especially the lacrimal (tear) and salivary glands. This leads to:
Severely reduced tear production
Chronic ocular inflammation
Damage to the eye’s surface (cornea and conjunctiva)
Associated systemic symptoms like joint pain, fatigue, and dry mouth
It can occur on its own (primary Sjögren’s) or alongside other autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus (secondary Sjögren’s).
😢 What Makes Sjögren’s Dry Eye Different?
Unlike typical evaporative or age-related dry eye, Sjögren’s is caused by inflammation that damages the glands themselves—making it progressive, painful, and harder to treat.
Symptoms include:
Chronic eye redness and irritation
Gritty or sandy feeling
Stinging or burning
Light sensitivity
Eye fatigue
Frequent eye infections or corneal damage
And here’s the key: Artificial tears alone don’t solve the problem. You’re fighting inflammation—not just lack of moisture.
🔍 How Is It Diagnosed?
Many patients see multiple doctors before getting a proper diagnosis. Here’s what helps identify Sjögren’s:
Schirmer’s test: measures tear production
Tear film break-up time (TBUT)
Blood tests: anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies
Lacrimal gland biopsy (in rare cases)
Salivary flow tests
Review of systemic symptoms: dry mouth, fatigue, joint pain, etc.
If you’ve been using drops for months—or years—without relief, insist on a deeper evaluation.