Management of the dry eye in Sjogren's syndrome.

Abstract

In this paper we report the efficacy of carefully controlled standard forms of treatment in the keratoconjunctivitis (KCS) of Sj0gren's syndrome (SS). Since it is accepted that SS is a chronic benign inflammatory disease characterized by remissions and exacerbations, the results of this study have been withheld until several years have elapsed. For this reason also we make no attempt to comment on forms of treatment such as hydrophilic contact lenses (Gasset and Kaufman, 1971; Krejci, 1972) or motorized fluid delivery from reservoir glasses (Dohlman, I97I) which as yet we have not utilized in a large series of patients. Since there is at present nothing that will eradicate KCS in Sj0gren's syndrome, our aim has been to produce reliefofsymptoms, reduction in signs, and thus a reduced incidence of irreversible ocular damage over a long period of time.