Autoimmune disease symptoms like alopecia and blurred vision

About 10 months ago, out of nowhere, I started having problems with alopecia areata (barbea). After several tests no diseases were found and treatment with costicosteroids (injected and topical) started (o treat symptoms only). However, now I start developing blurred vision and sometimes a bit 'warm' feeling in my left eye. A specialist diagnosed it as floaters (I read about this now), but I do fear it might have to do with the alopecia, since after all this is a symptom of an autoimmune disease which is also known to affect eyes.

My question: are you aware of any link between autoimmune disease symptoms like alopecia areata and other symptoms of the autoimmune system attacking the eye? In other words: can the two above described problems bne related, i.e. be traced back to one and the same cause: an autoimmune disease

Other question: can treatment with costicosteroids in the chin and eyebrows areas cause blurred vision?

Thanks for your answers!

B

[Forum-OD-MP]

well, yes there is a possibility those 2 are related.  many autoimmune diseases affect the eye and vision.  

the big 2 things we worry about with steroid use as far as the eyes are concerned are:

1) steroid induced glaucoma: this would be raised intraocular pressure from the steroids.  it is potentially blinding, but not related to floaters.  your 'specialist' has probably already ruled this out (assuming its an optometrist or ophthalmologist).

2) cataracts: steroids can and do cause increased incidence and progression of cataracts.  again, this is not something any eye doctor would miss.

so yes, steroid use of any kind can and does cause blurred vision.  but if you have already been to the eye doctor and they said your symptoms were due to 'floaters', then they have most likely already ruled out more serious conditions like glaucoma and cataracts

[bellypincher]

A related discussion, autoimmune and stomach ache was started.