Approximately 5–6% of people with discoid lupus may experience these skin symptoms on their eyelids. The inflammation and potential scarring can irritate a person's eye and cause symptoms such as : puffy eyes.
The effects lupus may have in and around the eyes include: changes in the skin around the eyelids, dry eyes, inflammation of the white outer layer of the eyeball, blood vessel changes in the retina, and damage to nerves controlling eye movement and affecting vision.
Uveitis happens when the eye becomes red and swollen (inflamed). Inflammation is the body's response to illness or infection. Most cases of uveitis are linked to a problem with the immune system (the body's defence against infection and illness). Rarely, uveitis may happen without the eye becoming red or swollen.
Periorbital and facial swelling occurs in dermatomyositis and systemic lupus, but it has been rarely reported as a manifestation of exclusively cutaneous lupus.
The most common lupus symptoms (which are the same for men and women) are: Extreme fatigue (feeling tired all the time) Pain or swelling in the joints. Swelling in the hands, feet, or around the eyes.
Lupus can also drastically change one's appearance. Patients can have hair loss, rashes and scarring, as well as medication side effects like weight gain, hair loss and stretch marks,” says Dr. Jolly, who has led a number of studies on body image in people with lupus.
Common symptoms include fatigue, hair loss, sun sensitivity, painful and swollen joints, unexplained fever, skin rashes, and kidney problems. There is no one test for SLE. Usually, your doctor will ask you about your family and personal medical history and your symptoms. Your doctor will also do some laboratory tests.
Thick, scaly patch of skin (discoid lupus)
People who have discoid lupus develop these patches. Most patches appear on the face, scalp, or ears, but patches can develop elsewhere on the skin. Without prompt treatment, these patches tend to stay on the skin for a long time — sometimes for years.
Puffy eyes are a common symptom of allergy, infection, inflammation, and physical irritation. Puffy eyes result from excess fluid (edema) in the soft tissues surrounding the eyes. The medical term for swollen eyes is chemosis.
While puffy eyes alone do not necessarily indicate liver problems, other associated symptoms like jaundice, pain in the upper right abdomen, fatigue or nausea may be a sign of an underlying liver condition. You must speak with your doctor if you are experiencing any combination of puffy eyes and these other symptoms.
Autoimmune Disorders: Eye doctors can often detect signs of autoimmune diseases. For example, inflamed eyes are a sign of Lupus or another autoimmune disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Cancer: Different types of cancer can be detected during comprehensive eye exams.
Blood and urine tests.
The antinuclear antibody (ANA) test can show if your immune system is more likely to make the autoantibodies of lupus. Most people with lupus test positive for ANA.
For example, untreated lupus can lead to blood disorders such as anemia or thrombosis. Other potential serious complications include: Chronic digestive distress that could include difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, indigestion, intestinal inflammation, liver enlargement, or pain when vomiting or feeling nauseous.
Lupus symptoms can also be unclear, can come and go, and can change. On average, it takes nearly six years for people with lupus to be diagnosed, from the time they first notice their lupus symptoms.
If left untreated, it can put you at risk of developing life-threatening problems such as a heart attack or stroke.
Hair loss is common in people living with lupus. The autoimmune disease causes body-wide inflammation that attacks the joints and skin, including the scalp. This can result in hair loss (alopecia ). Lupus-related hair loss can occur slowly, causing hair to become noticeably thinner gradually.
Weight change can be a problem when you're living with lupus. The disease itself, along with many of the medicines used to treat it, can cause your weight to rise or fall beyond your control.
For some people, living with and managing lupus can cause weight gain. Weight gain may also lead to worsening lupus symptoms and complications associated with obesity. Some potential causes of weight gain that relate to lupus may include: being a side effect of medications such as corticosteroids.
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with a wide range of clinical presentations resulting from its effect on multiple organ systems. There are four main types of lupus: neonatal, discoid, drug-induced, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the type that affects the majority of patients.
No one test can diagnose lupus. The combination of blood and urine tests, signs and symptoms, and physical examination findings leads to the diagnosis.
Many lupus patients aren't able to do intensive physical work, like waitressing or working in a grocery store. Jobs that involve standing for long periods, like working a cash register, greeting customers, or being a hostess at a restaurant, can be physically tiring as well as rough on the joints.