Dry eye in Sjögren syndrome remains “underdiagnosed and undertreated” and often not fully understood, according to Sjögren Europe, which is gearing up for World Sjögren’s Day on July 23 with an online awareness campaign.
Throughout most of July, Sjögren Europe, the European federation of Sjögren’s syndrome patient associations, has been sharing tips on Twitter to treat some of the symptoms associated with Sjogren’s syndrome, such as dry eye disease.
“Dry eye is still underdiagnosed and undertreated,” says the Sjögren Europe website. “There are still people with Sjögren’s who go undiagnosed. There are many reasons for this, but it is often because the threshold for referral to a specialist for dry eye can be higher than for other conditions.
According to the group, there have been significant advances in the treatment of dry eye in recent years, including newer lubricating drops to replace specific parts of the tear film, which treat inflammation and have a more lasting impact. In addition, specialty contact lenses can keep the surface of the eye well hydrated while the lenses are in place, the group advises on its website.
“These lenses have a rigid shape that holds the liquid inside them creating an interface between the lens and the surface of the eye,” the Sjögren Europe website continues. “When fitted by a specialist, they can be very effective in some severe cases.”
recognition of World Sjögren’s Day, Healio Rheumatology has compiled her top five stories featuring Sjögren’s Syndrome from the past year. These stories cover current and emerging treatments, outcome measures, and challenges in making a diagnosis.
‘Often Neglected’ Sjögren’s syndrome now the second most common autoimmune disease
Myriad symptoms and three different sets of classification criteria make Sjögren’s syndrome a challenging diagnosis, according to a presenter at the Eastern Congress of Clinical Rheumatology. Read more.
‘Promising treatments’ for Sjögren’s syndrome may enter clinical use in 3 to 5 years
It is likely that one or more “promising treatments” currently being investigated for Sjögren’s syndrome will become available within the next 3 to 5 years, according to a presenter at the 2021-West Clinical Rheumatology Congress. Read more.
Sjögren’s syndrome ‘not curable, but certainly treatable’ with available therapies
Although currently incurable, symptoms of Sjögren’s syndrome, such as dry eyes and dry mouth, can be effectively managed using a variety of therapies, said a speaker at the 2022 Eastern Congress of Clinical Rheumatology meeting. Read more.
Sjögren’s drug pipeline prepares for ‘next wave’ after long therapy lapse
New therapeutic approaches and a robust drug pipeline may offer hope for patients with Sjögren’s syndrome, according to a presenter at the Congress of Clinical Rheumatology-East 2021. Read more.
STAR aims to be the ‘gold standard’ for outcome measures in Sjögren’s syndrome
The Sjögren’s Response Assessment Tool, or STAR, a candidate efficacy composite endpoint for clinical trials, includes all features of the disease and has demonstrated sensitivity to change, according to the researchers. Read more.
References:
@SjogrenEurope. https://twitter.com/SjogrenEurope/status/1545432785137057794. July 8, 2022. Accessed July 19, 2022.
