Ocular Complications of CT Disease (M2)

Question 1

connective tissue disease

Answer 1

term used to describe any disease where the body targets its own connective tissue - generally involves an immune response

Question 2

CT disease symptoms

Answer 2

joint pain
various skin abnormalities
muscle weakness
problems with internal organs

Question 3

CT disease detection

Answer 3

blood work
abnormal antibodies

Question 4

CT disease management/treatment

Answer 4

managing, not curing.
directed at most severed symptoms.
- often steroids

Question 5

__% of CT disease sufferers are women

Answer 5

80%

Question 6

peak incidence of CT disease

Answer 6

teens to mid 20s

Question 7

CT disease etiology

Answer 7

unknown - thought to be autoimmune

Question 8

examples of connective tissue disease

Answer 8

rheumatoid arthritis
sjögren’s syndrom
systemic lupus erythematosous
marfan syndrom
ehlers-danlos syndrom

Question 9

what is rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Answer 9

inflammatory arthritis associated with extra articular manifestations; wrist and hands.
inflammation and thickening of joint capsule.
may impact bones and cartilage

Question 10

who is affected by RA

Answer 10

women 3x more common - genetic predisposition

Question 11

RA symptoms

Answer 11

pain and swelling in joints that is worse after rest

Question 12

RA diagnosis

Answer 12

blood work –> rheumatoid factor, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), c-reactive protein, anti-CCP

Question 13

RA ocular implications

Answer 13

dry eye syndrome most common:
- women 9x more commonly affected –> bc hormones assoc. with meibomian glands.
scleritis and episcleritis are 2nd most common:
- scleritis: deep intolerable boring pain, redness, photophobia, tenderness; start to have thinning of sclera
- episcleritis: painless red eye, minimal vision impact.
peripheral ulcerative keratitis: can lead to loss of the eye

Question 14

RA treatment

Answer 14

RA: steroids (immune suppression), hydroxychloroquine (plaquenil).
ocular surface: artifical tears

Question 15

what is Sjogren Syndrome (SS)

Answer 15

excessive dryness of eyes, mouth, and other mucous membranes

Question 16

SS etiology

Answer 16

unknown - WBC infiltrate and damage glands (lacrimal glands and goblet cells)

Question 17

true or false: SS is one of the most under diagnosed CT diseases

Answer 17

true

Question 18

SS diagnosis

Answer 18

labs: antinuclear antibody test, ANA, Sjo test, biopsy (of salivary gland)

Question 19

who does SS affect

Answer 19

middle age women (lower estrogen levels)

Question 20

SS symptoms

Answer 20

vary greatly - can be assoc. with RA, SLE, etc.
vision related: fluctuations or blur at end of day

Question 21

SS ocular implications

Answer 21

dry eye syndrome

Question 22

SS treatment

Answer 22

no cure!
SS: gum to enhance salivary production, pilocarpine, avoid antihistamines, decongestants.
dry eye management: artificial tears, restasis/xiidra, goggles, etc.