The severity of eye problems in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome(SJS) is so intense that it could lead to permanent blindness. A person affected with SJS is known to suffer from severe lesions on the skin and the mucous membranes.
The ulcers caused in the mouth could be so painful that the patient cannot have any food intake and might even be rendered speechless.
The Severity of Eye Problems in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome: SJS is known to cause severe eye problems. But, the severity of eye problems can be varying in patients affected with this syndrome.
- For instance, who is most affected with skin lesions and has 90 percent of his skin detached due to SJS might not experience any problems with his ocular vision.
- On the other hand, a person least affected on the skin might experience severe ocular problems ultimately losing his vision.
Causes of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome: Various factors have been attributed to the development of SJS. The factors can be food, physical agents, infection, drugs and systemic diseases.
But, drugs are considered the most common cause of this syndrome. The drugs can belong to:
- Antibiotics(the most common cause)
- Analgesics
- Cough and Cold drugs
- Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs
Symptoms of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome: The following are the most common and painful symptoms of SJS:
- Red Eye
- Eye Tearing
- Itching
- Pain
- Dry Eye
- Tight and Heavy Eye Lids
- Vision Degeneration
- Foreign Body Sensation
- Burning Sensation
The most common ocular problems associated with SJS are:
- Conjunctivitis
- Scarring of the conjunctiva
- Corneal Blisters
- Corneal Perforation
- Inflammation of the Iris
All these symptoms could potentially lead to loss of vision.
Treatment Associated with SJS: The treatment a patient suffering from SJS is prescribed is mainly supportive and is only possible in the acute phase. This may be due to the initial misdiagnosis regarding the conjunctiva.
The treatment would generally include:
- ocular lubrication(with ointments and artificial tears)
- frequent supervision of infections
- corneal transplant upon ophthalmologist suggestion
- special contact lenses for severe dry eye or eyelid and eyelash problems.
In America, there are at least 2.6 to 7.1 cases per million diagnosed with SJS. Although not a huge number, the severity of eye problems in Stevens-Johnson syndrome can be tough to comprehend.
