Most people consider psoriasis to be only a skin condition but it can manifest in a number of ways, including around the eye area and using proper medication or eye cream in a timely manner can not only restore comfort but also help protect your vision.

Research suggests that around ten percent of people who have psoriasis exhibit some sort of problem related to the eyes. These eye concerns may be related to blepharitis, iritis, uveitis or conjunctivitis. One of the probable reasons why it is uncommon to spread in the face or eye areas is because the areas that receive a good deal of exposure from the sun usually do not get as much affected by psoriasis. Nonetheless, if your eyes get affected by a psoriasis flare it can affect various parts of your eye like the eyelashes, the eyelids or oil glands in them, the internal parts and the surface. Early treatment is one surefire way of preventing vision loss and long term damage to the eye so visiting the doctor is essential.

Preventing psoriasis flares

The impact on the eyes resulting from psoriasis flares can be sporadic but the conditions resulting from it can become chronic without proper treatment. The medications prescribed by a doctor help decrease the frequency of flares experienced and any early symptoms that occur warrant a visit to the ophthalmologist or dermatologist so they can analyze the condition. The basic care that you can exercise in this regard is ensuring basic hygiene and be on the lookout for any signs that appear near the eyes so you can mention the same to the doctor. Psoriasis around the eyes may be comparatively uncommon but once it encroaches upon this sensitive area it can be difficult to treat, painful and lead to other problems.

Treating the affected area

Psoriasis can cause the eyelids and the skin on them to become dry and scaly, which can make them bend downwards or upwards. This can further result in the scratching of the cornea as the eyelashes rub against its surface or cause it to become dry. These effects can build up towards damaging the cornea and result in impacting the vision. In order to avoid these problems you can ensure that you wash your eyelashes and eyelids regularly using baby shampoo and water (by mixing the two) or applying an eyelid cleaner for removing the scales (they are easily available over the counter). A doctor may also prescribe a topical eye cream to treat the affected area like tacrolimus or pimecrolimus.

Treatment options vary in accordance with the severity of the problem

Depending on the severity and frequency of the condition an ophthalmologist may also recommend using steroid based eye drops to bring down inflammation in the eye. Ocular inflammatory conditions that occur intermittently after a few years may be treated with steroids. However, if the doctor notices that the condition is becoming chronic and exceeds just a few episodes then using steroids for the eye may not be deemed suitable. This is because the steroid medications can cause other problems, like cataracts. This too can result in vision loss because the natural lens of your eye becomes cloudy as cataracts develop. Such medications can also increase pressure on the eye thus leading to glaucoma.

The treatment in such chronic cases is generally based along the same lines as dermatologists treat patients who have psoriatic lesions covering a large area on the body or have psoriatic arthritis. They normally opt for systemic therapy that can include a biologic, an immunomodulatory or an immunosuppressant.

It can cause serious eye diseases

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease and can lead to severe eye problems like iritis and uveitis, especially in patients who have lupus or psoriatic arthritis. The cause in both the cases is inflammation which is typical for psoriasis. In uveitis the middle layer that lies is made up of cornea and sclera, the pigmented middle layer between outer layer and inner retina called the uvea, becomes inflamed.

If uveitis impacts the front portion of the eye close to the iris it is referred to as anterior uveitis or iritis. The condition requires proper treatment and can lead to permanent blindness or loss of vision if it is left untreated. The common symptoms of uveitis include sensitivity to light, pain in the eye, floaters, redness and blurry vision. If you notice any of these signs it is best to go for an eye exam so that the eye care specialist can properly diagnose the condition and prescribe a suitable treatment so that any further damage to the eyes can be prevented.

An ophthalmologist may need to discuss the treatment with other primary care doctors, like your dermatologist or rheumatologist, if the iritis or uveitis is caused by psoriasis so that the treatment plan is comprehensive and effective.