Can lupus affect my vision?
MAY 27, 2017
Question:
I have Lupus. Can this affect my vision? Most days my vision is blurry and I have to squint to read, even though I wear glasses. Also, sometimes when I drive or watch TV, I see double and I need to move my head to refocus.
Answer:
Lupus can affect the eyes in many ways. It can be associated with dry eyes, which may be severe. Lupus can also cause inflammation of many parts of the eyes. These conditions include episcleritis and scleritis (inflammation of the white part of the eye), uveitis (inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, the uvea) and retinitis (inflammation of the light sensitive tissue in the back of the eye). Also, the medicine hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), often used to treat lupus, can cause damage to the retina if your use of the drug is not adequately monitored by an ophthalmologist.
Your problems may have nothing to do with this and may be as simple as a need for proper glasses. All of the above problems have specific and effective treatments. I recommend an exam with an ophthalmologist to determine the diagnosis and treatment.