u/Master-Event-1643

I’ve had progressive aqueous deficient dry eyes for around 8 months now since january.

Around July, i suddenly got new black floaters, and it has slowly increased. Right now in august they are still here. This isn’t a concern if Sjogrens causes this, but a quick google search shows that they aren’t linked.

I went to see an ophthalmologist yesterday and they performed slit lamp exam and also indirect ophthalmoscopy test (The doctor wears a headset with a bright light and holds a large, specialized lens close to your eye while asking me to look in multiple directions (up, down, left, right).

I think he was checking for retinal tears/detachments, but didn’t notify anything serious happening.

He told me floaters are caused by macular degeneration normally due to aging. But i’m 24…

Does Sjogrens cause sudden floaters? Any of you experienced similar when you first had symptoms?

24M, I have aqueous tear deficient dry eyes. (0 and 2 schirmers). Have done bloodwork, urine analysis, STI/STDs, all negative or normal.

What could i be missing? Or should i just assume i have Sjogrens and move on. (Haven’t done early panel/lip biopsy)

Accept this insane burning dry eyes, get sclerals and move on with my life.

Any one else in a similar position?

Hi guys, im 24M, since january i’ve had progressively drier and drier eyes that are unexplained.

In Jan, i suddenly had tearing red eyes while gaming or sleeping in AC. Docs thought allergic conjunctivitis and prescribed olopatadine, an antihistamine eyedrop. It helped, but whenever i tried quitting, i noticed my eyes were just super dry.

In April, i went to see an ophthalmologist and found that i had low tear production. My schirmer’s were 5 and 8mm, and i was prescribed immunomodulators (restasis) and within first month, it became worse. Schirmers went even lower to 0 and 2mm.

Ophthalmologist suspected Sjogren’s and i did the following autoimmune panels:

ANA (IFA) Titre, Anti-ds DNA, Rheumatoid Factor, Anti-nRNP/Sm, Anti- Sm, Anti-Ro (SSA), Anti-La (SSB), Anti-Scl-70, Anti-Jo-1, HLAB27, C4

All negative/normal other than low C3 (0.74 < 0.90-1.80g/l)

I have also done the following general bloodwork:

Renal Profile
• Sodium — Normal (140)
• Potassium — Normal (4.3)
• Chloride — Normal (102)
• Bicarbonate — Abnormal/High (32, ref 20–31)
• Urea — Normal (4.3)
• Creatinine — Normal (90)
• eGFR — Normal (103)

Liver Profile
• Bilirubin Total — Normal (9)
• Total Protein — Normal (76)
• Albumin — Normal (51)
• Globulin, A/G Ratio — Normal (25, 2.0)
• Alk Phos — Normal (68)
• AST/SGOT — Normal (21)
• ALT/SGPT — Normal (31)
• GGT — Normal (18)

Endocrine
• Glucose Random — Normal (5.1)
• HbA1c — Normal (5.3%, IFCC 34)

Bone/Joint
• Uric Acid — Abnormal/Low (197, ref 220–450)

Serology
• CRP — Normal (0.7)

Specialised Tests
• Vitamin D Total — Abnormal/Low (27.1, ref 30.0–100.0 → “Insufficient” range)

Haematology – Blood Count
• WBC — Normal (5.76)
• RBC — Normal (5.18)
• Haemoglobin — Normal (14.6)
• Platelets — Normal (260)
• Haematocrit — Normal (45.6)
• MCV — Normal (88.2)
• MCH — Normal (28.2)
• MCHC — Normal (32.0)
• RBC Distribution Width — Abnormal/Low (12.1, ref 12.2–15.4)
• Mean Platelet Volume — Normal (7.3)

Differential
• Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils, Basophils (% and absolute) — all Normal

Special Haematology
• ESR Auto — Normal (8)

So everything is normal/negative except slightly low C3 and low vitamin D levels. But they also don’t point to anything specific. At this point, i probably have an autoimmune issue, but which one?

I understand Sjogrens can be seronegative, but to be real fair, dry eyes is so common that anything could be causing it, and i don’t fit the profile of middle aged women. Having it makes me a statistical anomaly, a literal 1 in 100k population if i really have Sjogrens.

And even if i do have, there is no medication that helps with eye dryness, which sucks. Also, some other symptoms i’ve been having:

Dry soles of foot
Peeling dry skin on fingers
Occasional burning hands and feet
Some dry mouth (Especially when waking up)
Daily Fatigue (unsure if it’s due to dry eyes, causing inability to sleep 8 hours consecutively)
Constipation (Also recently came on, consistently for past 2 weeks now)
Increased eye floaters

Around a month back i also had a “flare up” that made me have low grade fevers, chills, muscle weakness, heavy breathing, much worse peeling skin on fingers, burning throat like pins and needles and lots of burning hands and feet. I took paracetamol and i felt much better, they also slowly went away within 3 days.

I have also done a full comprehensive STI/STD test recently (1.5 year after my last exposure) and all came back negative as well.

My dry eyes are really bad, i can’t sleep well, constantly burning, difficulty concentrating and when i look slightly beyond 2 meters, it’s blurrier than before i had dry eyes. It has taken my life away, i can’t do things i once loved, and its made me suicidal and depressed.

I really don’t know what i have that could be causing my dry eyes, and any advice is appreciated 🙏🏻

Hi folks, im 24M, have had a very healthy, active lifestyle before this year.

In Jan, i suddenly had tearing red eyes while gaming and sleeping whom doctors thought were allergies, prescribed antihistamine eyedrops and used until April, and i noticed my eyes were super super dry.

Went to see an ophthalmologist and found my lacrimal glands were not working. Schirmer’s 5 and 8mm, prescribed immunomodulators (restasis) and within first month, tear production went even lower to 0 and 2mm. Ophthalmologist suspected Sjogren’s and i did the following autoimmune panels:

ANA (IFA) Titre, Anti-ds DNA, Rheumatoid Factor, Anti-nRNP/Sm, Anti- Sm, Anti-Ro (SSA), Anti-La (SSB), Anti-Scl-70, Anti-Jo-1, HLAB27, C4

Abnormal: C3 (0.74 < 0.90-1.80g/l)

Everything is normal/negative except slightly low C3. Now i understand Sjogrens can be seronegative, but to be real fair, dry eyes is so common that anything could be causing it, and i don’t fit the profile of middle aged women having Sjogrens, which makes me a statistical anomally if i really have Sjogrens.

I read that thyroid issues can cause lacrimal gland inflammation causing dry eyes. And i am more inclined to believe this than Sjogrens. Some other symptoms i’ve been having:

Dry soles of foot
Peeling dry skin on fingers
Occasional burning hands and feet
Some dry mouth (Especially when waking up)
Very sensitive to cold (have had this since many years ago)
Daily Fatigue (unsure if it’s due to dry eyes, causing inability to sleep 8 hours consecutively)
Constipation (Also recently came on, consistently for past 2 weeks now)

Do you think i have thyroid issues? Would definitely get blood and antibody test.

Below are some other general bloodwork i’ve done

General Bloodwork
All Normal:
Renal Profile
• Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Urea, Creatinine, eGFR
Liver Profile
Bilirubin Total, Total Protein, Albumin, Globulin, A/G Ratio, Alk Phos, AST/SGOT, ALT/SGPT, GGT
Endocrine
• Glucose Random,HbA1c — Normal
Serology
• CRP
Haematology – Blood Count
• WBC, RBC,Haemoglobin, Platelets, Haematocrit,MCV, MCH, MCHC, Mean Platelet Volume
Differential
• Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils, Basophils (% and absolute)
Special Haematology
• ESR Auto

Abnormal:
• Low Vitamin D - (27.1, ref 30.0–100.0 → “Insufficient” range)

RBC Distribution Width — Abnormal/Low (12.1, ref 12.2–15.4)

Bone/Joint
• Uric Acid — Abnormal/Low (197, ref 220–450)

• Bicarbonate — Abnormal/High (32, ref 2031)

I have also done STI/STDs blood and urine comprehensive panel and all are negative/normal.
I really don’t know what i have that could be causing my dry eyes, and any advice is appreciated 🙏🏻

I have a few upcoming exams, and i need to stare at screens for long periods to study. But my eyes are burning so badly as i try and focus and concentrate.

For adults who have really dry eyes like me, how do you guys deal with this insane burning? Im on generic restasis for 2 months now and my eyes are still as dry as ever.

I am seronegative, and i first had tearing red eyes in january. And till now my eyes have been progressively getting drier and drier.

Around late may i started generic restasis (Evolve Cyclo Nanomiscellar 0.05%). And since then my eye’s schirmers have only fell further, from 5 and 8mm to 0 and 2mm.

Now 3 weeks after i measured that schirmers, my eyes are even drier, eyes constantly burn, and lately the burn is so bad im getting pulsating migraines when i stand up, no deep sleep at all. This is while i’m on restasis for close to 2 months now.

I know restasis can take 3-6 months to work, and everyone’s symptoms for sjogrens differs, even in severity. But is this normal?? Is sjogrens suppose to progressively dry your eyes so badly till they get scarred or your nerves get cooked, even while on restasis?

Or am i allergic to the formulation of restasis?

I don’t have dry mouth/joint aches, but have SFN (burning hands and feet) and fatigue (mainly from not being able to sleep). My bloodwork identified low c3 but normal c4 levels, SSA/SSB neg.

I was an extremely healthy guy, loved gymming, running exercising, had a very social life. Top of my school grades. But i’ve always been lustful, thinking i’m young, i should mess around with hookups and sex before i settle!

A year and a half back i had sex with a sex worker and hooked up with a few women on tinder while overseas. I used protection for the sex worker and for the others some did some didn’t. Shortly after, i had severe pink eye, but got treatment and it resolved.
I also tested for STIs/STDs but all negative. This incident scared me and i thought i was cleared for 8 months.

At the start of this year, i developed itching teary red eyes which i thought was allergic conjunctivitis. And for the next 6 months under allergy meds, it just kept getting drier, so dry that i can’t stay in AC or look at screens.

Now i’m developing dry mouth, dry throat, skin and many other symptoms that resemble Sjogrens autoimmune disease.

Throughout all this I have tested multiple times for STIs/STDs and all came back negative. Therefore i suspect i caught something that is not of STIs/STDs, and the guilt and health anxiety from having sex with a sex worker, all these triggered an immune response, resulting in Sjogrens.

My life is ruined, i can’t do the things i once used to do. I used to love drinking, gymming, socialising, gaming, staying up late, clubbing, but now i can’t do any of that. I am depressed feeling handicapped, anxious because i wake up with unknown symptoms everyday. And most of the time i’m homebound now.

If i could turn back time, i would 100% slap the shit outta me for taking on such unnecessary risks. Lust ruined me and i hope none of you ever follow such a path of mine.

I first had dry eyes that slowly got worse over 6 months.
During these 6 months, i never had any other symptom.
Now i suddenly have extreme rapid development of other symptoms in the past week and a half.

Day 1 Started off as intense left wrist stiffness from folding my arms to sleep
Day 2 drier mouths
Day 3 numb arms while sleeping
Day 4 numb arms and some slight burning feet soles
Day 5 Burning stomach, low grade fever, chills, literal empty stomach feeling
Day 6 Dry throat and nasal pathway, heavy breathing, low grade fever, chills, body aches, fatigue, muscle weakness, cold feet
Day 7 Feel like something stuck in back of throat, intense burning feet
Day 8 Dizziness, light headed, brain feels heavy Noticed skin takes longer to return to normal colour after contact
Throat burning, sharp pain when swallowing
Day 9 Extreme sweating wetting the bed and pillows and burning dry throat

I also have dry peeling skin on the fingers and my stool is very dry for many days.

Is such a timeline normal? It’s so rapid i even suspected it might be something else other than sjogrens.

I just got back my blood work and test negative for Sjorgens, Lupus and HLAB27 but i am not convinced i don’t have sjorgens.

Here are the symptoms i currently have:
Very aqueously deficient dry eyes for 6 months (currently 0 and 2mm schirmers)
Burning foot sole and arms/hands
Occasional numb arms and carpal tunnel syndrome when sleeping
Slightly dry mouth and chapped lips
Peeling skin on fingers
Nerve shooting up my face feeling
Stomach feels empty, like there is no digestive juices
No gastric despite not eating anything (used to have severe gastric if i skipped breakfast/lunch)
Burning body feeling like low grade fever, but no fever

All of these seem pretty general and even if i list them out to a doc, they can’t diagnose me with Sjogrens. Even if i do a lip biopsy, i believe it will still be negative, so i highly doubt i can get plaquenil to slow disease progression.

Now, here’s the real question:

Is it okay if i just go untreated? Like exercise regularly and watch my diet. I feel that it is impossible for me to be diagnosed at such an early stage, so i can’t be medicated.

Currently on generic restasis 0.05% for 1.5 months, and my eyes are becoming drier and drier.

It’s so dry lately that i feel literal sandpaper texture, and yesterday night my eyes burned despite closing my eyes, couldn’t sleep the entire night.

Anybody with such bad dry eyes? Literal 0 tear production. If so how do you guys handle it? I use duratears ointment and it isn’t helping at all.

Also will my eyes get better? Or am i stuck permanently like this…

I’m currently 1.5 months in, started using evolve cyclosporine 0.05% which is generic restasis. And for the first 4 weeks i gradually felt better, lower inflammation, improvement in flareups and whiter eyes overall. (Week 1 schirmer’s 5 and 8mm) I also had frequent reflex tearing on instillation of cyclosporine.

Moving on to week 5 i redid schirmer’s and it fell drastically from 5mm & 8mm to 0 and 2mm. I noticed my eyes becoming stickier but i thought that was mucus layer returning. I also didn’t have reflex tearing anymore on instillation of cyclosporine. My ophthalmologist suspects i may have sjorgens, and i am currently awaiting blood test results.

Now week 6 my eyes are bone dry, and have flareups as bad as week 1. It’s so dry that i experience prickling foreign body sensation when i blink. Today i just had a burning episode that was pretty bad and wouldn’t go away even when i close and rest my eyes. But the odd thing is i can put in cyclosporine and there is no longer any burning. But my eyes are gradually becoming slightly redder. Is this how sjorgens is?

For people who have sjorgens, is this normal? But isn’t generic restasis the treatment for sjorgens, so how is it getting worse?

Do any of you have similar experiences?

What should i do, stop generic restasis?

Anybody in sg suffering from this condition? Im interested to know how you are faring? What kind of job do you do? How do you get by in Singapore?

I suspect i might have it and need some advice.

Im currently around 5 weeks into cyclosporine, and inflammation is much calmer. However this morning i went back to see my ophthalmologist, and my schirmer’s test fell from 5mm and 8mm to 0 and 2mm.

This is bad. What could cause this? We have arranged for a panel of autoimmune tests such as Sjorgen, HLA B27 and others. But my eye doc is leaning low on it as i don’t fit the demographic.

Could this be caused by STIs? My last exposure was on Jan 2025, and a few days after i did have a bad case of pink eye and blurring. But that was resolved by fluorometholone (soft steroid), followed by 8 months of 0 symptoms. Then in January tearing red eyes. Which i used olopatadine, and i overexposed on BAK. But i have since stopped so my eyes should recover but schirmers have only gotten worse…

I have tested for HIV and was negative in march 2026. I have also tested 2 weeks (mid feb 2025) after exposure comprehensively and all was negative.

So i am genuinely confused how my eyes are getting worse under treatment, if it isn’t autoimmune or STIs or anything.

I’ve been using cyclosporine for the past 12 days, and i have consistently been noticing microscopic improvements, day by day lower inflammation, lower foreign body sensation etc…

Tonight however, the inflammation suddenly spiked up, back to day 2/3. It feels worrying but is this supposed to happen? Thought cyclosporine was a progressive thing.