What eye problems can sarcoidosis cause?

Sarcoidosis is one of the leading causes of inflammatory eye disease. Ocular sarcoidosis can involve any part of the eye and its adnexal tissues, and may cause uveitis, episcleritis/scleritis, eyelid abnormalities, conjunctival granuloma, optic neuropathy, lacrimal gland enlargement and orbital inflammation.

What does sarcoidosis in the eyes look like?

Common symptoms of ocular sarcoidosis include blurred vision or vision loss, light sensitivity (photophobia), floaters (black spots or lines in vision), dry or itchy eyes, red eyes, burning sensation in the eyes, or pain in the eyes. These may precede or occur alongside other common symptoms of sarcoidosis.

What does sarcoidosis do to the eyes?

Inflammation can affect almost any part of your eye and may cause damage to the retina, which can eventually cause blindness. Rarely, sarcoidosis also can cause cataracts and glaucoma. Kidneys. Sarcoidosis can affect how your body handles calcium, which can lead to kidney stones and reduce kidney function.

What is conjunctival biopsy?

Conjunctival biopsy (excision of a small tissue sample) preserves the three-dimensional structure of the tissue sample and is highly invasive; therefore, this technique is generally only suitable for scientific investigations.

How can you tell if sarcoidosis is active?

Sarcoidosis has active and inactive phases. In active phases, granulomas (lumps) form and grow. Symptoms develop, and scar tissue can form in the organs where the granulomas are growing. In inactive phases, the disease is not active.

How do you perform a conjunctival biopsy?

The palpebral conjunctival is exposed and a specimen is taken from the area between the inferior border of the tarsus and the fornix. This biopsy can be taken with toothed forceps and Westcott scissors.

How long does an eyelid biopsy take?

Biopsy Procedure The procedure typically takes between 15 and 20 minutes to perform, and it frequently takes under 5 minutes. Eyelid biopsies heal quite well and cause minimal scarring. Many times, the surgeon does not need to suture the wound.

When to use bilateral blind conjunctival biopsies for sarcoidosis?

Bilateral blind conjunctival biopsies are more likely to be positive in biopsy-proven sarcoidosis from other sites. Conjunctival biopsies are particularly useful in the presence of conjunctival follicles, ocular abnormalities consistent with sarcoidosis, and in patients with pulmonary infiltrates on chest x-ray.

How are conjunctival nodules identified in ocular sarcoidosis?

Conjunctival Nodules. Performance of a thorough slit lamp examination can identify conjunctival nodules in 7-17% of patients with ocular sarcoidosis. These conjunctival findings appear as small, yellow or tan nodules primarily in the lower cul-de-sac.

Can a negative biopsy be a symptom of sarcoidosis?

None of the patients with biopsies consistent with sarcoidosis were on topical corticosteroids at the time of biopsy, while several with negative biopsies were in patients on topical corticosteroid drops for at least one month before biopsy. There were no complications of biopsy in this series.

Can a lacrimal gland biopsy be done for sarcoidosis?

If lacrimal gland involovement is noted on physical exam or gallium scan, a lacrimal gland biopsy can also be performed. In cases of active pulmonary disease, fiberoptic bronchoscopy can be biopsy positive in 63-80%, depending on the stage of disease . Serum level of ACE is often elevated in sarcoidosis and can be used to monitor disease activity.