How is Ankylosing Spondylitis Affecting the Eyes?

Did you know that eyes can be very frequently affected in patients with ankylosing spondylitis? Patients with ankylosing spondylitis can develop inflammation in their eyes. In this video you will learn

- What are the common signs of inflammation in the eyes?
- Who is at risk to develop inflammation in the eyes?
- How do we treat it?

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👩🏻‍⚕️ About me:
Dr Diana Girnita is a double board certified physician in rheumatology and internal medicine. She completed a PhD in immunology, a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, immunology fellowship at University of Pittsburgh and rheumatology fellowship at University of Cincinnati. Dr. Girnita graduated from the Nutrition Science course from Stanford University and a Mindfulness course from The University of Massachusetts; She is the founder & CEO of Rheumatologist OnCall, a practice focused on broadening access to rheumatology and offering patients an integrative medicine approach.
Dr. Girnita teaches patients about autoimmune disease, arthritis and also helps them customized their treatment plans to incorporate the proper nutrition, exercise and management of stress: "You have a disease, but YOU are not the disease"

** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a medical consultation. Any comments and/or recommendations made in the comment section by anyone other than Rheumatologist OnCall does not reflect our opinion or recommendation.**

[Chiroman]

Dr. G., Kudos to you for producing this series of AS videos. I'm 72, male, and although I have tested NEG for the gene HLA-b27 - I have a great deal of Spinal Arthritis in the vertebrae and the Facet Joints. Terrible Stiffness everywhere with Flareups. SI Joint issues with Inflammation (Sacroillitis), OA in both Knees (the right is Bone on Bone), Hi Discs Bukge i ino the front AND Rear into the spinal canal, L5-S! ops (the left worse than the rigjht), fingers and issues of Radiculapathy form my Cervical Instabilities. L2 & L3 discs bulge into the front and rear of the spine, L5-S1 with Spondylioethesis, DDD throughout, C2-C7, T1, T2, and T9-T10 with some disc herniations. I have a 1.15" shorter right leg sustained from a fractured femur in 1966 at age 15 playing HS Football. It was left Unaddressed by the doctor - nothing was prescribed to stabilize it with adjusted shoes, etc. Over the years, lower back pains appeared and I now have Dextroscoliosis at 25 degrees. The Spine is curved and Twisted. Visits to 6 different Spine and Neuro Surgeosn in 2018 -2019 all said, No Surgery on the Lumbar spine which has too much arthritis. I'm curious of your Opinion of Treatments? I do NOT take any MEDS other than the occassional Advil, Alleve and/or Tylenol. I ahve ben diagnosed with Fibromyalgia because of the muscle . joint, and tendon pains in many spots in my body.I have NO Reflexes, Central and Peripheral Nerve damage from all of this including some sites of Mild to Moderate Stenosis. Moral To My Story is : I waited far too late to do anything about these conditions. And I never really Drank WATER on a regular basis.

[dawnwillis]

Thank you for this wonderful information.

[chrissymarie]

I have this Gene and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and now they’re thinking I have AS. Sometimes my eyes are itchy, but I don’t think that is anything big however, my eyelashes form little blisters on the lash line and up above the lash line and now my eyelashes are completely bald in areas. One eye barely has any eyelashes on it at all. Could this be Contributed or is it some random thing. I do not wear any eye makeup or mascara so that’s not the problem. I’ve been to the dermatologist as well as the ophthalmologist and no one has any idea what is going on. Thank you so much for listening.

[nandikak]

Hello doctor, I really appreciate you bringing up the awareness for this disease. I have a genuine question for you. Can a neurologist identify ankylosing spondylitis on a full spine mri or is it something only a rheumatologist would be able to confirm. Please please do reply to me on this. I have been suffering from severe backache, and back stiffness for the last 3 years it all started with Slip discs on l4 l5 c4 c5 and c6 in the year 2021 and now my Mri reports say

LUMBAR SPINE

OBSERVATIONS:
General observations
• Straightening of lumbar spine is seen with loss of normal lordotic curvature likely due to paravertebral spasm.
• Mild scoliosis of lumbar spine seen with mild convexity to the left. Cobb's angle is 11.3º.
Vertebral Observations
• Marginal osteophytes are seen in L3, L4 and L5 vertebrae.


 Lumbar spondylosis with diffuse desiccation changes at L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels as described above.
 Mild scoliosis of lumbar spine seen with mild convexity to the left.
 Posterior annular fissure with asymmetric diffuse disc bulge at L4-L5 level with propensity to left indenting over the ventral sac and causing narrowing of left lateral recess and mild compression on left traversing nerve roots.


• There is evidence of loss of normal central T2 hyperintense signal of L4-L5 and L5-S1 intervertebral discs suggestive of Pfirrmann grade IV disc desiccation changes. Heights of intervertebral discs are preserved.

• Tarlov cyst is seen at S1-S2 level measuring approximately 9.3x13mm.


CERVICAL SPINE SCREENING:
• Normal cervical lordosis.
• Anterior marginal osteophytes are seen in visualized vertebrae

***Please please guide me... I have seen an orthopedic surgeon and he asked me to see a neurologist and the neurologist blamed it on my stress, anxiety and Fibromyalgia. I have severe back pain and stiffness my right side of the neck, shoulder joint elbow and mid back and lower back is completely affected. Also my right eye is always swollen that am hardly able to open it when I wake up from sleep causing me severe headache and is also very sensitive to light.

Both my legs are very weak and knees very painful. Please please advise if I really need to see a rheumatologist

[J_Chap]

My Ankylosing Spondylitis is now effecting my eyes. Sigh.

[soundsfmeows]

I’m currently going through this and it’s awful at times. It got so bad the other night that I was forced to go to the ER. But now I have subscription for steroid drops thankfully its only 1 eye.

[sahelidutta]

Im HLA B27 positive, it effects on my eye, im consultanting with an eye specialist, will it be permanently cure afte treatment ?

[denise]

If an X-ray showed straightening of lower spine, loss of disc space and bone spurs but nothing showing in blood tests would you say you don’t have AS? That’s my story X-rays approx 13 yrs ago 1 mri of sacroiliac joints no damage showing …. Lots of symptoms all ones mentioned, still struggling on

[tahsenhossain]

Mam, when the osteoporosis occures? I mean i have diagonosed with that disease and it is in early stage so, when is the possibility to grow osteoporosis?

[ShayariWithAshish]

HLB positive in rhumetic arthritis and anyclosing spondylitis also

[neonbluez-ises]

I have AS and disc / facet joint problems My eyes get really sore just reading and floaters make it near impossible!

[aadiadhikari]

i have AS since 15yrs bt after 3years med sulfasalazine and stopped ..for 10 years no pain in the body bt recently getting acute anterior uveitis reoccurent..does it mean my AS is active even though i dnt have any body pain..should i go for medication?

[shivangipandey]

I’m currently going through.. HLAB27 got positive.. One of my eye having redness pain blur vision… I’m taking treatment from eye specialist, rheumatologist & dermatologist but still not able to understand what is root cause of this???

[sahelidutta]

After treatment and doctor consultent can it come back again on eye ??

[igorbul]

Hi Dr
I have lightheadness and sleepiness on eyes for 7 months. Last 1 week, I have back pain every morning . Is it AS?

[kh]

My rheumatologist is so horrible I know more than he does. He told me that AS doesn't effect any other organs. Then I developed Crohn's and had an equally ineffective internalist to deal with that since we didn't have a GI specialist. Actually the doctors came in reverse order but not the diseases. AS at 16 and being a girl in a province with even more horrible doctors than this province it took 7 years and I was diagnosed by x Ray's by a chiropractor who then refused to work on me and sent me to a good Rheumatologist. Now that I have a good GI, the awful internalist and surgeons made such a mess of me he cqn't do anything but offer drugs that I usually react adversely to. They never ever counted or recorded how much gut they took out so I can't have any abdominal surgery ever, for anything.

[IleniaCore]

I have discovered to have AS thru uveitis and still now, also with humira I have uveities 1-2 times a year

[johnwick-iiil]

I have had more than one specialist tell me that iritis and eye inflammation does not hurt.
I beg to differ. I have been blinded in both eyes two times where i had to be hospitalized.
The steroids they gave me made me feel like a kid again. Too bad you cant stay on them.