Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect almost any organ or body part and lasts for a long time. Your immune system attacks healthy cells, which causes pain, swelling, and damage. The Lupus Foundation of America says that about 5 million people worldwide have lupus, and women are nine times more likely than men to get it. Symptoms may come and go, which makes it hard to figure out what’s wrong. You may have flare-ups and then get better.
Surprising Symptoms Of Lupus
Vision Loss
The eyes may be hurt by lupus. Mutations in the skin of the eyelids, dry eyes, inflammation of the white layer on the outside of the eyeball, changes in the blood vessels in the retina, and nerve damage that affects how the eye moves and how well it sees are all possible.
The most common eye problem caused by lupus is damage to the blood vessels in the retina. This makes vision loss from mild to severe. One to two percent of people with lupus may lose their sight quickly because of optic neuropathy.
Raynaud’s Syndrome
Raynaud’s syndrome makes it hard for blood to get to the hands and feet (most commonly the fingers and toes). This could be caused by cold or stress.
When fingers or toes don’t get enough blood, they turn white, red, blue, or purple. One-third of people with lupus get Raynaud’s, which is usually caused by nerve or blood vessel irritation.
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Photosensitivity
It has been shown that ultraviolet (UV) rays make the symptoms of 40–70% of people with lupus worse and cause flare-ups. People with cutaneous and systemic lupus get rashes, fever, fatigue, and joint pain when they are sensitive to light.
The Lupus Foundation of America says that people with lupus should spend less time in the sun by wearing clothes that protect them from the sun, putting on sunblock with at least 70 SPF, and staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Dry Eyes
Lupus can make your eyes dry, making them itchy, gritty, scratchy, sore, watery, and blurry. Dryness can hurt the eye’s front surface and make it hard to see.
About 20% of people with lupus also have Sjogren’s disease, which means that their tear glands don’t