I have been to my eye doctor 3 times since the beginning of the year for cornea ulcers. They keep coming back. I don't wear contacts and I am having trouble with my hands and wrists. Starting to notice my feet and one hip as well. Is there a correlation between the cornea ulcers and rheumatoid arthritis?
Q: is there a correlation between cornea eye ulcers and rhuematoid arthritis?
Answers (2)
4/24/08 10:24am
Hi Shelly!
Rheumatoid arthritis can lead to a condition called Scleritis, which is an inflammation of the blood vessels in the eye that can result in corneal damage.
But that's a little different from corneal ulcers, which are usually caused by baceterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infections, but not always.
You can read more about corneal ulcers and its causes here.
You should tell your doctor about all your symptoms and discuss what could be causing them. It may require an number of tests to pin down th problem. It could be RA or it could be an infection of some kind. Or the symptoms may not be related. You'll need your doctor to help you figure that all out.
When it comes to RA, there are several tests that you might take to get a diagnosis.
You can read about the rheumatoid arthritis diagnostic tests through this link. Just know that it can be hard to diagnose RA and it may take several tests and conflicting results before you know what's going on for sure.
11/24/08 9:49am
Sometimes other autoimmune diseases can accompany Rheumatoid arhtritis, one such disease is called Sojourners syndrome. It affects mainly the eyes and can affect other organs as well. A dry mouth is also very common symtpom with this disease. There is a lot of info on the web regarding Sojourners syndrome. I hope this helps to get some of the answers you are seeking.
Michelle
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