No, Site
for Sore Eyes Berkeley is not playing a
belated April Fools’ Day joke on you. That unusual,
foreign-reading word in the title is real. You may not
be aware of what this word means. We also hope that you never experience
it.
Sjögren’s
(pronounced shoh-grinz) syndrome is a disease that destroys the glands
that produce tears and saliva (known as exocrine glands). Symptoms include
dryness of the mouth, skin, and of course, the eyes. It is estimated that
approximately four million people in the United States suffer from Sjögren’s syndrome; the majority of
whom are women that are middle-aged or older.
The two most frustrating things about Sjögren’s syndrome are the difficulty in
diagnosing it (as the initial symptoms are common with other illnesses), and
that there is no definitive cure. Supportive treatment is currently the only
method of helping those who suffer from this condition.
There is prevention, however, such
as keeping up with an annual eye exam.
This one simple task is all too often brushed aside. Consider scheduling this all important
appointment this month. Your eye care professional won’t recognize Sjögren’s Syndrome or any other
disease that affects your eyes, but maintaining that yearly eye exam will
recognize any differences or potential eye-related issues – sooner rather than
later.
April is Sjögren’s
Syndrome Awareness month,
friends. Keep your eyes on the prize of good health and good vision.
For more information, visit the Sjögren’s
Syndrome Foundation website.
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