Sjögren syndrome

Sjögren syndrome was described by Henrik Sjögren, a Swedish ophthalmologist, in 1933. He used the term ‘keratoconjunctivitis sicca’ to distinguish the ocular surface features from those seen in vitamin A deficiency.

Sjögren syndrome is a systemic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the exocrine glands, predominantly the salivary and lachrymal glands, and leads to their functional impairment with consequent dryness of the eye and mouth.

The actual symptoms in the eye include a gritty sensation, the sense of a foreign body in the eye, or itching; redness; and an increased sensitivity to light that may make reading or watching television difficult. The symptoms of lack of saliva may include difficulty chewing, swallowing, and speaking and severe, progressive dental carries.

Sjögren syndrome is a worldwide disease with a strong female bias - traditionally reported as 9:1 but possibly as high as 13:1. Typically, primary Sjögren syndrome presents in the firth of sixth decade but can present at any age including, although rarely, in childhood.
Sjögren syndrome