HCV as cause of Eye Problems

[DoubleDose]

Since there was a post recently regarding eye problems for those with HCV, and NOT on tx, I thought I would copy my response from the related post, and open the discussion to forum members.  My post as copied below discusses articles on HCV related eye problems, and includes links to articles which discuss the association between HCV and Sjogrens Syndrome, or similar 'pseude' like maladies.  There is a definite and documented link with HCV and eye, salivary, and gland issues.  Please note my prior post copied below, with links:

To: summer7799, everyone !!!!
Here are links to articles describing how HCV is often strongly associated with, and may be a primary cause of Sjogren's Syndrome, or a very similar, "Sjogren's-like Syndrome.  I have always been affected by this syndrome, since my early days of HCV infection over thirty years ago.  Unfortunately the SS eye problems did NOT go away after my SVR.  I have had these ongoing eye problems for over half my life now, and they began when I became infected with HCV.

I really thought most everyone was aware of the extrehepatic manifestations of HCV, such as SS, and Reactive Arthritis, Fatigue, etc. that are often a consequence of the infection.  They used to write regularly about these HCV related syndromes...but today it seems they only write about new drug agents and the cure.  Much of the body of literature has been lost on new patients.  Here are a number of links on HCV and Sjogrens.....

https://www.quest4health.com/others/blogs/hepatitis-c-virus-sjogren%E2%80%99s-syndrome-missing-link

http://www.jrheum.com/abstracts/abstracts02/2382.html

http://www.rheumatology.org/education/training/fellows/readinglist/hepatitis_c.pdf

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/332125-overview

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15652773

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18984409

http://journals.lww.com/md-journal/Abstract/2005/03000/Sjogren_Syndrome_Associated_With_Hepatitis_C.2.aspx

Hopefully these articles and studies will give you some insights into what you are likely experiencing.

DoubleDose

[DoubleDose]

and here is a study regarding eating the HCV infected eyeballs of  drug abusing misquitoes and how it sometimes causes an infection in the eyelashes, or, if one eats multiple misquitoe eyeballs, it can cause a full blown infection in eyelashes, and eyebrows!!!!!   Here is the study:

http:www.are.you.kidding.me.com?????

Next study..................

[DoubleDose]

And just one more, recent study...on HCV and dry eye....  note the conclusion.....

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21779663

DoubleDose

[DoubleDose]

Talk about echoing some of my comments above, about the virus living in other tissues and organs....here is another study:

http://www.osnsupersite.com/view.aspx?rid=24631

DD

[willbb]

I would love to hear comments on this one....
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ok....it has been known according to this artice dated 10 years ago  that SS is related to HCV.??........
.thankfully doctors and scientists alike at Pharma are.. working hard   on perfecting drugs to cure us................

[DoubleDose]

and here is one great article that I remember very well, and was able to dig up....check out what IT states!!!!  I would love to hear comments on this one....you will rarely encounter doctors who have a clue about this sort of info!!!!


http://amjpathol.highwire.org/cgi/content/full/159/4/1593

DoubleDose

[willbb]

."..and the drugs are the main focus..."..
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Thankfully.. that is why there are so many SVR"s  

[DoubleDose]

Sorry...I forgot to include the link on the Sicca Syndrome study....here it is:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8670326

DD

[hrsepwrguy]

Check out this web page on complications of chronic hcv

http://www.hepatitisneighborhood.com/content/understanding_hepatitis/complications_of_hepatitisc.aspx


Keith

[DoubleDose]

And a follow up study that also links Sicca Syndrome to HCV, and mentions 'neurological problems' in those with Sicca Syndrome and HCV....Wow...just more food for thought.

Sicca Syndrome affects eyes and salivary glands and is a syndrome that may be part of a Sjogren's issue, or just a stand alone syndrome.  In the end, its just another HCV related manifestation that wreaks havoc on our eyes and salivary tissues.  See how much our doctors DON'T know about HCV....how can SO MANY of them be so uninformed and little researched on the total viral implications.  There is a literal TON of mainstream, scientific literature out there on these HCV related problems, with hundreds of studies, and statistics...but I would bet 99% 0f GP's, and maybe even a good chunk of Hepatologists are unaware of much or most of it!!!  THAT is scary.  I always knew about these articles because the eye and gland problems were issues for me from day 1, and I did a lot of research on it.  Even fifteen years ago there were many many documented studies on these associations.  Why do we hear so little today??  (Nobody really cares....and the drugs are the main focus....and finally many doctors are just plain uninformed!!!  )

DoubleDose

[DoubleDose]

Its a real riddle, as far as the wide range of HCV related symptoms...one that the docs and researchers have never fully figured out...and that is this question:

Are the dry eye, gland problems, mouth issues, arthritic and joint problems all because of the reaction of our immune system to HCV???  OR, is there a DIRECT infection of those tissues by the virus, thus causing direct damage or even just LOCAL immune cell reactions to the virus.  In otherwords, are the symptoms more a result of a whole body, immune response reaction, or are they the local reactions to a virus that is attacking those specific tissues.  Maybe the virus LOVES the liver, and slowly destroys it...but maybe it sort of LIKES the salivary tissues, joint connective tissues, eye and nasal membranes, and the stomach soft tissues and gastro tract....just enough to cause flare ups, and irritation, but not enough to destroy those tissues as happens in some people to their livers over many years......and again in some others the liver has only mild damage, similar to the other organs and tissues.

I am one that believes the virus actually invades and resides in lots of different tissues and organs...and also probably in the brain.  I really suspect this is the real root of all the fatigue, depression, brain fog, balance issues, and general malaise from HCV....especially since these problems rarely ever correlate to the degree of liver damage or stage of progression in the liver.  Some people experience all these brain related symptoms from very early in the infection...indicating to me...that the virus is probably at work locally, causing organ dysfunction, and patient abnormailies...even when the liver is still clean as a newborn baby's.

I sometimes wonder if my ongoing eye and gland problems, after 8 years SVR, are from an ongoing viral infection in those tissues that was never cleared from treatment.  Maybe it just stays in isolation in some organs, and is not able to infect the bloodstream or liver for some unknown reason...maybe the HCV in the joints, eyes, salivary glands is a sort of mutation that just stays put, and is incapable of full blown infection.????  Who knows???  But there are still many unanswered questions regarding HCV, symptoms, modes of infection, and what happens after clearance, or SVR.  Is it total???  Is it uniform???  Are the viral particles all the exact same in HCV infection, or do some virions target different tissues or organs....maybe evolved variants????  I have no answers...but plenty of questions and concerns!!!

DoubleDose

[Puppyluvurr]

I was in such denial I went 2 another doc and made them rerun the tests .

[Puppyluvurr]

Same here hrsepwr. I knew something wasn't right and went 2nd doc and she did some labs and there it was. That's been 2yrs now and I go back to liver dr in sept to talk trtmnts.

[Puppyluvurr]

Doubledose, have u been reading my med records? LoL U  just described everything I experience regularly. Hope it doesn't get worse with tx.

[hrsepwrguy]

I have not started treatment yet but will soon, waiting on drugs to arrive. I have several of the symtoms stated above that is what led me to the doctor in the first place. Which is when I was diagnosed chronic hcv.

[Puppyluvurr]

Yes summer, I have all the symptoms u have listed. I use a lot of artificial tears. They help a couple of mins. Ugh sometimes my eyes even feel blurry all of a sudden and the they'll clear up when ready. I find a really cold washrag over the eyes also feels really good, especially when they feel gritty like sand is in them.

[hrsepwrguy]

I have the same eye problems that you have been having, really dry and feel like they have sand in them, excessive gunk in the morning. They seem to get dryer as the day progresses. I don't know what is causing it but I have been using artificial tears when they get bad and it helps tolerate it.

Keith

[DoubleDose]

Another question that I have for all our forum members is this:  How many of you have experienced similar dry eye, inflammation, dental caries, gland swelling (parotid and/or salivary), mouth and tongue sores, etc. that were problems during the HCV infection phase, rather than the treatment period.  I personally had all of the above for decades, along with gastro-intestinal inflammation, IBS-like syndrome, and a diffuse Fibromyalgia-like syndrome with hip and neck pain.  I would love to see how many of us had any similar extrahepatic symptoms from the virus.  

DoubleDose

[summer7799]

Hi, I wanted to ask you about your eyes..mine are so irritated all the time. I feel like I cant blink enough, they are so dry all the time. When I first wake up it takes a while just to open them because they hurt and are irritated. Does this sound anything like what you are experiencing? Please let me know, thanks!!

[DoubleDose]

and this is probably the most succinct, and to the point of the above linked articles:

http://journals.lww.com/md-journal/Abstract/2005/03000/Sjogren_Syndrome_Associated_With_Hepatitis_C.2.aspx

DoubleDose

[Puppyluvurr]

Thank you! My eyes have been driving me bonkers. Can't believe my eye dr didn't know about the hep c. He did mention my RA though affecting them. I will be checking out these web sites as I need to learn all the info I can b4 trtmnt. Sandi

[summer7799]

Thank you for taking the time to write this! I'm grateful. I will talk to my Dr about it on Monday, thank you!