SJOGREN’S SYNDROME

It is an autoimmune chronic inflammatory disease with
multi-system involvement. It typically occurs in
women between 40 and 50 years of age. Its main
feature is an aqueous deficiency dry eye — the
keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS). In primary Sjogren’s
syndrome patients present with sicca complex– a
combination of KCS and xerostomia (dryness of
mouth). In secondary Sjogren’s syndrome dry eye
and/or dry mouth are associated with an autoimmune
disease, commonly rheumatoid arthritis. Its
pathological features include focal accumulation and
infiltration by lymphocytes and plasma cells with
destruction of lacrimal and salivary glandular tissue.